Ellsworth WIC Program Announces Second Annual Community Baby Shower
ELLSWORTH - The Ellsworth Women, Children, and Infants (WIC) program is excited to announce its second annual Community Baby Shower, set to take place at the Moore Community Center on September 9th, from 10 a.m. to noon. This heartwarming event, open to the public, aims to provide prospective parents, pregnant women, new parents, and guardians with a wealth of resources available in Ellsworth and its surrounding areas. Attendees will also have the opportunity to collect essential infant supplies at no cost, including diapers, wipes, breastfeeding aids, and baby powder.
Tamara Wilson, Director of WIC Ellsworth, expressed her hopes for the event, emphasizing its mission to dispel misconceptions about WIC's purpose and encourage parents and guardians to take full advantage of the organization's offerings. Wilson stated, "I don't ever want anybody who steps through our office doors to feel shame or judgment. I want them to feel supported. This [event] is our way of being in the community and, in a way, reaching beyond just our specific participants."
The Community Baby Shower has garnered the support of co-sponsorsNorthern Light Blue Hill and Maine Coast hospitals. Attendees will have the chance to learn more about the newly established Dixon Birthing Center at Maine Coast, a state-of-the-art facility that provides an optimal environment for welcoming newborns. Kelley Columber, Marketing and Communications Director of the hospitals, commented, "Our brand new state-of-the-art Dixon Birthing Center in Ellsworth provides the best possible environment for welcoming a newborn."
The local community has also rallied behind this initiative, with the Elks Lodge organizing a baby shower drive to collect diapers and other baby supplies to donate to the event. Jackie Wycoff of Community Closet generously contributed all remaining baby supplies from her business, which is closing its doors.
All donated supplies will be available free of charge to new and expecting parents, while supplies last. WIC will also offer free breastfeeding supplies to parents nursing infants in need.
Tamara Wilson emphasized that seeking WIC services doesn't deprive others of assistance, saying, "If someone comes and asks questions about WIC and finds out they're eligible, they're not taking [services] away from someone else. These benefits are here, they are already funded, and anyone who needs them should be able to step in and receive them in a space that is free of judgment, free of stigmas."
In addition to its monthly food packages, WIC provides qualifying participants with valuable services, including breastfeeding education (both prenatal and postpartum), health checkups for young children, referrals to other agencies, and serves as a distribution location for Comfort Cases for children in foster care. Some of WIC's services are available to all members of the public, including access to a "lactation lounge" for nursing parents and expertise from two qualified car seat technicians. Infant and toddler car seats are available through WIC for qualifying Maine residents, regardless of whether they are WIC benefit recipients.
The Community Baby Shower, a free and inclusive event, is expected to be twice as large as last year's gathering, with even more growth anticipated in the future. Tamara Wilson expressed her excitement, noting, "Last year we helped probably about 50 families, and this year… It's just reached further out than I expected, which has been really exciting!" The event promises to be a wonderful opportunity for families in the Ellsworth community to come together, support one another, and celebrate the arrival of new life.