In Desperate need

We are going to release this article to the media to try and garner some more attention to our projects because the need is great. Those of you who give faithfully have been such a blessing. I  just recieved word today that the hospital is down to 3 stranded family bags and none of them are girl themed. I am praying that we can get the word out this weekend and that people will choose to participate as we impact the lives of families in crisis.

'MOMS Club of Waipahu, Aiea, and Pearl City has a long history of giving back to their community. We are always seeking different ways to give back to our community. One of our Members began a project called Danya’s Gift in remembrance of the time her daughter spent in the NICU, or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at birth. Through that project we have an excellent relationship with the NICU at Kapi’olani Medical Center. In a cooperative effort we came up with a new idea. The Hawaiian Islands appear close on a map; but the only way to travel between islands is by plane. When a pregnancy is in danger, or a baby is born too early or with a birth defect, the emergency transport team at Oahu's Kapi`olani Medical Center for Women & Children is called into action. Parents feel terrified and alone at the prospect of sending their newborn baby on an emergency transport plane. If space if available, one family member is allowed to fly with the baby. When a mother has just given birth, it is not safe for her to fly. This leaves the dads to travel alone. Focused on the lives of their wife--who must be left behind, and their baby--whose life hangs in the balance; these dads will often go many hours with no food or rest. The Transported Family Bags fulfill a need---they provide these dads, who are learning to be a father under extraordinary circumstances, a little bit of comfort during that terrible first 24 hours. Rather than a throwaway bag we sewed little lunch sized totes to give the families some hope that someday their child will be able to use the adorable little bag, and then we fill the bag with the basics of survival for that first day. The bags contain things like water, instant coffee, soup, spam, toothbrush and paste, lotion, hard candies, laundry soap, shampoo and many more items. Each bag costs approximately $20 to make and fill, but the affects are priceless.
Since we dropped off the bags the March of Dimes NICU family support specialist reports that they have used nearly all of the bags that we were able to put together and they have a great need for more. Danya’s Gift has been working with the Hospital and MOMS Club to coordinate this project. For more information or to help us put more bags together please contact us. All donations are Tax Deductable, and every donation no matter the size helps, Please consider helping us to meet the needs of these families in crisis. Thank you for your interest in our projects."