Hellobee

I’m sure many of you all remember the image of baby Alan Kurdi‘s body washed up on the shore in Turkey. I tried for days not to look, and when I did, it totally broke my heart. Images are important, though, and the publicity and the devastating story that accompanied the photo made me seek out ways to be a part of the solution. I learned about Carry the Future and instantly loved their mission. Providing baby carriers to refugee families fleeing their countries makes perfect sense to me. There is something about wearing your baby that makes you feel like you are keeping him or her safe. They are protected.  I can’t imagine being in such a dangerous situation like these families and relying on just my arms for a tiny or wiggly baby. So, we packed up H’s first soft structured carrier and stuffed the pockets full of snacks, baby socks and a note of support from Texas and we sent it on its way. Since then, I’ve donated money whenever I could, and as their volunteer-run organization has grown, they provide things like blankets or baby boxes and so much more to these families in need.

Last month, Carry the Future put out a call to action to host diaper parties across the country. Basically, throw a party and ask the invitees to bring a pack of diapers for donation to a local refugee resettlement agency, and then donate $10 online to Carry the Future for diaper purchases overseas. Party with a purpose? Yes, please! I decided right away to do a “mom’s night in” at my house as a way of bringing moms together for some kid-free conversation and do-gooding. We had a total blast (H slept through it all!) and we raised tons of funds and donated almost 3000 diapers to Refugee Services of Texas, right here in Dallas. The Carry the Future diaper party call to action technically ends April 2, but this is something so easy to do anytime to benefit your community.

Seek out your local agency. I did some research and sent some emails. I wanted to make sure to find an agency that actively places refugees in our community, because these families with toddlers and infants would benefit the most. And, as you can imagine, starting out from scratch in a new city is daunting, and diapers are expensive! My local agency said that they always need diapers, they go so quickly, and they especially need larger sizes. They were so excited and grateful to be the party beneficiary!

Give a flexible time frame for the party but make it after bedtime. It doesn’t matter if you are a SAHM or a working mom, we live by our kid’s schedule. Make it easy on moms to get away after bedtime. I did 7-10pm on a Thursday night, but made it clear in the Facebook invite that it was come whenever possible, for however amount of time possible. Some had late-working partners, some needed to duck out early to get home and catch up on sleep, and some nursing mamas of newborns didn’t want to leave their babe for too long. Anything goes! And a non-weekend night definitely helps break up the monotony of the week and typically has less scheduling conflicts.

Keep the party supplies simple. I made my party a “Diapers and Desserts” gathering. Candy, cookies, and Nothing Bundt Cakes. Wine, beer, and sparkling water. Easy and delicious.

Make the guest list well-rounded. I invited my neighborhood play group moms, moms from my Music class, my blogger friends, and my neighbors. We had such a good mix and so many moms made new friends and there was such great conversation, including about ways to support refugees in our city. I knew people were having fun when I had to tell everyone at midnight that this mama needed to hit the sack! I was so excited to see everyone friending each other on Facebook the next day.

Involve your kiddo in the donation process. H came with me to deliver the diapers and even carried some into the agency. They are never to young to learn philanthropy!

I had so much fun, I’m already thinking of other ways to recreate this party for other gatherings. Moms always need a break, and why not have your Prosecco with a side of helping those in need?