Baby supplies for parents in need

During these economic times many families are doing without or going to the government for help (i.e. WIC, Food Stamps, etc.). These resources can take an entire day to receive help sometimes and other times humiliating to a certain degree, especially when you know you won't be using these resources very long nor do you want to.

The other day while at Ben Taub Hospital, I saw several mothers with newborn babies (Newborn being a few days old) and I thought that this hospital is not the best environment for a baby to be. It was apparent that if these women had other resources for medical care, they would opt for it before bringing their baby to a level I trauma hospital.

Sadly, there are several resources in Houston that can help families meet the needs but go under the radar. After leaving the hospital, I visited a non-profit just across the freeway that gives families baby supplies regardless of income, marital status, or citizenship. I spoke with the executive director about the reason the agency wasn't packed with families daily. She responded that many child care professionals (i.e. social workers, day care staff, pediatricians) know about the agency but because they are overworked they often forget that their clients can get emergency baby supplies by simply filling out a form. Another reason is that women feel that they will lose other benefits if they seek help from them, which is not true at all.

Life Houston, Inc. is one of several organizations that provide "in the meantime" help. When I worked with families of middle school students, I often would call 211 and would be informed about several non-profit organizations in Houston and return to families, teachers, and school administrators. They would be so grateful and thought I knew everything about finding resources but the reality is everyone is can and should be able to access these resources.