Community Baby Shower

If you were at 1150 E. Main Street between April 20-May 2, you may have noticed boxes stacked on boxes with Graco and Evenflo branded all over them. And, though Dauntea and Priya could have been found taking calls from a box fort at any given time, there was a true reason for the commotion.

The Community Baby Shower was born out of a need to increase awareness for childhood safety in the home and to congratulate the parents of fresh babies. Priya described this as a moment “to give people the opportunity to provide safe parenting for their children.” Thanks to Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, Central Community House was able to get funding to purchase childhood safety items and provide Child Health & Safety training to new parents in the community.

The process of gathering childhood safety items was an interactive process. CCH’s case managers worked directly with the parents to determine what items would increase safety at home and the new parents and soon-to-be parents chose the item best suited for them. Some chose infant baby monitors, while others chose a carbon monoxide detector. There were car seats, baby gates, baby bathtubs, swaddle sleepers, among other items.

Next, the CCH team put together two baby showers, serving a total of 40 households. The new and soon-to-be parents were awarded the time and space to celebrate. They stepped into a space soaked with pastels — streamers, candy, forks, and cake. They played traditional baby shower games and engaged in educational discussions about safe spaces for children. Ultimately, the groups got to celebrate each other and that was a wonderful thing to watch.

“I think it was just really rewarding to be able to provide some of the things I didn’t get as a new parent,” Priya said. “It’s something that’s so needed.”