PITTSBURG, Kan. —
At the same time an expectant mother living at the federal poverty level in Cherokee or Crawford county is wondering how she’ll clothe her newborn, another area mom is sacking up baby clothing that her child has outgrown.
Drawing an imaginary line that connects the two in the most direct route is the idea behind a new program started earlier this month by the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.
“It is not unusual for one of the mothers we serve to only own a few items, and in some cases, only a blanket in which to wrap their newborn,” said Krista Postai, the director of the clinic.
It costs about $250,000 to raise a child today, including college. Much of that expense is in the first years of life, according to estimates by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Specifically, disposable diapers cost an average of $600 to $1,000, including baby wipes and ointments. Clothing, which babies outgrow quickly, averages $100 per month.
The clinic serves about 1,600 newborns and toddlers in Cherokee and Crawford counties who live at or below the federal poverty level. While their basic needs such as food and shelter often are met through private and public assistance, an often-overlooked need is clothing, Postai said.
Her clinic also provides prenatal care to more than 400 expectant mothers from Southeast Kansas annually. Statistics show that about a third of them are teen mothers; nearly half are single and nearly half are uninsured.
Many also lack transportation with which to travel to thrift stores and rummage sales. That makes purchasing clothing for their newborns tough.
In early January, the clinic teamed with the Family Resource Center, a local childcare center, to begin Baby4Baby, a “recycling” program that gives gently used clothing a new purpose.
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas provided the funding — a small grant that paid for a washing machine, dryer and plumbing in an unused warehouse space at the FRC.
The manpower is provided by volunteer Barbara Meidinger, a Pittsburg retiree who spends a few hours each day sorting through donated clothing, washing, drying and pressing it, then creating gift sacks with appropriately sized items from newborn to 4T.
Using a couple of cabinets with slots for folders and a closet with baskets, she devised an organized “filing” system by size until she accrues enough items with which to create a sack. In addition to clothing, Baby4Baby accepts blankets, bibs, caps and other baby-related and toddler-related items.
“I have been wanting to do something like this,” said Meidinger. “These girls need help and I feel it’s a worthy cause. You see some of the kids come in, it’s cold, and they don’t even have a blanket over them.”
When Gov. Sam Brownback was in town, he presented the first sack to a mother to kick off the program.
Following that, pediatricians and physicians distribute the clothing at the clinic on an as-needed basis. Each sack contains at least a week’s worth of clothing appropriate to the season of the year and size of the child.
“The doctors have the sacks, and there are no rules; when they are treating a mom and believe she needs them, they hand them out,” said Postai.
Collection bins at the clinic and the child-care center keeps supplies stocked, and response from the community has been tremendous.
“The response to this program didn’t surprise me,” said Postai. “Giving comes naturally to us. It doesn’t take a hard sell.”
In addition to clothing, Postai and Meidinger said that volunteer help for the program would be appreciated.
Postai said the program would continue as long as donations continue to come in and there’s a need for them.
“Something so simple can make such a big difference,” said Postai.
