my 31st birthday celebration

lately i have been thinking and feeling and wanting to be more involved in service activities for humanitarian aid. this desire peaked last saturday when i participated in a humanitarian service conference for women in my area. it was amazing what we accomplished in one afternoon, and i was inspired to try and continue to work. luckily, i belong to a church that is committed to world wide service, and relieving suffering wherever possible. because of this, it is super easy and organized for anyone who wants to help to find a way to help. and i want to help. there are projects and programs going on in every developing country of the world: we are working on immunizing, teaching health care and gardening, providing wheelchairs to previously immobile individuals, vision help, disaster relief, and especially, clothing and feeding the world's poor. i am particularly moved to action when i hear stories and see the pictures of babies being born into such poverty as to be brought home from the hospital wrapped in a newspaper. when i think of that and look at the amount of fabric i have, it makes me ill. my goodness, let's get these babies some blankets!

i decided that every year for my birthday i will try and make a few mothers have a better birth-day for their newborns. i live near the lds humanitarian center where all goods and donations are organized, boxed, and dispatched out to the world. the church pairs with philanthropic organizations to meet specific needs. a constant need for orphanages and hospitals in developing countries is newborn kits: a layette gown, booties, cotton diapers and pins, a receiving blanket and ivory soap. quilts are also always needed. i can certainly spare some quilting time if it means a cold and lonely child somewhere will be wrapped up cozy! can you? i would like to deliver one newborn kit and one quilt for each year of my life, every year, and i need your help. so this year, my goal is 31 newborn kits and 31 quilts. next year 32, and so on (the hope being that each year i'll be more organized and have more help...) and i'd love to blow the goal numbers away.

because the service missionaries and humanitarian workers have seen the exact needs and don't like to waste materials or efforts, the accepted donation requirements are very specific. they are very clear that quality is more important than quantity, we want these goods to be new and be items that will last. receiving blankets must be serged and quilts tied with high loft batting. i am willing to do all the sewing work, as well as packaging all the kits. if you want to help, i am looking for donations of soap, flannel fabric, flatfold cotton diapers, batting, booties, well... everything!

if you'd like to get involved please please email me and tell me what you were thinking you'd like to donate, and i'll give you instructions how to get it to me and try to balance out the items. if you are local, i will be having a quilting and packaging day when i've gathered all the supplies i need- email me if you'd like to come assist with that as well. and finally, if you'd really really like to help, link this post on your blog and invite others who might not see this to help, too.

i just imagine myself being a new mother, bringing home my baby in a newspaper, having nothing to diaper or swaddle her in and i get tears in my eyes. then i imagine being able to wash and wrap my baby and cradle her close and keep her warm and it makes me really want to do something, even if it's a small, humble effort. please help me if you can. email: kellymccaleb@hotmail.com.

Comments

[shawn]

I'm in! Great project, Kelly! I will donate some sets of diaper pins. I'll check into how many I can fit within my budget and let you know. Happy Birthday.

[Afie]

Good for you... you inspired me to do some more good also. I am going to donate but through my own ward. Then we can multiply the newborn kits. Happy Birthday!

[Vanessa]

This is SO wonderful! I don't know how much I can help from Europe, but if I can buy things online and have them shipped to you I would love to do that. I so admire how much you love motherhood and I also truly admire yuor Church.
Hope you had a brilliant birthday full of love and laughter - you so deserve it!

[Lindsey Z.]

This is such a great GREAT idea! I'm going to look at the lists and see if I can ship some stuff over to help with your 'birth days' celebration!

[angie]

I would love to help you out. We are in the midst of some heavy organizing while we prepare for baby #3 in early March. I will try my hardest to dig through a box this afternoon and pull out a bunch of baby pins and I will sort through the sewing room for some flannel to match. Can you email me your addy to live_love_scrap@yahoo.com I can get that in the mail by Friday! This a heart warming thing you are doing!!

[Jessica]

i would love to help. maybe some soap, and flannel and anything else you think is needed? i will see what i can afford. i am willing to help with whatever is needed. let me know, my email is mhig36@yahoo.com.

in sacrament yesterday they were talking about hardships and trials and a way to get through them is through service. loosing yourself in helping others. this is like a little shove from my heavenly father giving me an opportunity to forget my self and serve. thank you. what a great goal!

[Rachel M.]

Hi Kelly, I've been reading your blog for awhile now, and this is the most wonderful post!! I had my first baby 12/26/08. I am 39 and so excited because we thought it wouldn't happen for us!! As I tenderly care for her, I sometimes get tears in my eyes thinking about all the little newborns in the world that don't have their fundamental needs of warmth, security, food and clothing met. Having a newborn has shown me just how vulnerable they are! We live in Michigan and if she gets the teensiest bit cold when I am changing her or bathing her, she just cries her little heart out. I can't imagine a newborn being in that state repeatedly and often. It breaks my new mother's heart! She's so happy once I get her all snuggled up in a blanket. I really think I was meant to read your post because this has been on my mind so much in the last four weeks. I really want to be a part of it! I am positive we can make a regular contribution of needed items and I would also like to make a few baby quilts when I am past the newborn stage with my daughter. I really like that they care about quality more than quantity. I believe we should never give our "scraps," but our best to those in need around us. My husband works third, so when he wakes up, I will ask him what we can specifically do as far as contribution and email you. I am so excited about this and praise God for inspiring this venture of your heart, mind and talent.

[Amy]

What a great idea! I would love to help! I'll send you an email!

[amanda jane]

you are one amazing gal. I'll email and look forward to helping!

[Creole Wisdom]

And this is why I continue to read your blog. What a lovely, selfless, warm hearted, charitable entry.

[melissa w]

I LOVE this! You are awesome! Count me in! I will post this on my blog and start collecting a little of everything you need to send off to you. I am also willing to sew quilt tops (I haven't attempted the quilting of binding part yet), knit newborn hats (do they need/want those in the kit). I am doing a lot of this anyway with baby on the way- I am in nesting mode, so I am on a roll already. Just let me know!
melissanwhite@gmail.com
Happy Birthday to you dear friend- this is an amazing way to celebrate!

[Jessi]

I'm good for a couple receiving blankets. I have the flannel in my attic right now and will get on it ASAP. Thanks for being such an inspiration.

[Jo]

I have loved reading your blog and your uplifting attitude. I will take a look at my budget and stash of fabric to see what I can donate. I will also post about it on my blog (if you don't mind, I will just copy your post onto mine, since you say everything just right).

Jo

[Marcella Deter]

Kelly, I want to help. Let me know when I can come and help package things. I would do some quilting, but you know how I have very little domestic talents. I have clothes however that I could donate and I even have an adorable baby swing if that would help. Let me know if that is something they would even want, or need. I want to help in any way that I can.

[Prestomom]

I just love you, Kelly!

[Mandee]

That is the best idea ever!

[heather]

great idea. The checks in the mail baby! Happy birthday old lady. smile.

[summers&co.]

Kelly, I handknit baby booties and make flannel receiving blankets. I live in Ogden, so I can come and help when you need it. I can also bind, tie, or quilt. Let me know how I can help. I really would love to do something to help someone else :)
Happy Birthday!
Amy summers6@q.com

[Charity]

Sounds wonderful...I want to help. My heart broke as I read your blog today, all the babies that were going home without a blankets to keep them warm and the mothers that couldn't do anything about it. I live in Washington, I don't know what you need or what to send. Maybe flannel or soap? My email is andyncharity@comcast.net, I'll wait to hear from you before I start doing my shopping. Lots of Luck, and Happy Birthday! I'm excited to be a part of your project! It will definitely make a difference in families lives :)

Charity

[ashley m]

count me in. i will email you. now.

[amy cannon]

Oh, how I love this idea. You inspired me. I think that I shall do it too. My Birthday is in May. Good work!

[Ashley C.]

This is beautiful. I think the same things all the time as I look at the drawer FULL of blankets for my two boys. I never even use many of them, and I cringe thinking of my excess knowing others have nothing. I am glad there are people like you out there with the skill to make beautiful quilts for those babies. I teach a seminary class. It's only 11 teenagers, but I am going to see if I can get them to donate the "tickets" they earn (which they usually spend on candy) to the cause. I will buy their tickets for .25 each, and hopefully in a couple months I'll have $50 or so for you. It's a small effort, but hopefully it will help fill in some cracks. And be a good lesson for my kids. Tomorrow we talk about consecration--the perfect day to introduce the idea!

Happy 31st! I'll email you when I have the cash. . . .

[Josie]

Please email me with what I can do for you- Take a look at my boutique- http://ohbabyboutique.blogspot.com and let me know if anything there will help. Will they take blankets with stitching around them? Will they take AcTuAl cloth diapers that are not just white prefolds (the white gerber ones they use that really dont work so well.) I belong to some diapering sites (I make my own cloth diapers) and I know the women are always ready for a project, so let me know if they can take them..... (also look at http://myclothaddiction,blogspot.com for a sample of the easiest things we can do)

[nancy]

This is such a wonderful idea! I know in my stake we are making a bunch of quilts together very soon, but I love the thought of a newborn kit. I just started learning how to knit, so I would love to be able to knit some booties for a little one. I'm not very fast, but I'll do my best. I'll email you!

[Jill]

Yes sign me up. You are so sweet and I love how you always trying to make the world a better place. Please let me know what you would like for our family to donate.

[kristen Van Dyke]

i really wish i had read this post BEFORE I went to JoAnn Fabrics this morning... :)

count me in. I've read the instructions and though I don't know how to use my serger (my husband is so disgusted) (heh) they do have instructions for one with a regular machine. So I can do that. I bet I can make some layettes as well.

You have a deadline for this set? 31 kits in 31 days? end of the year?

[Marie {Make and Takes}]

What a great project! I'm in. What can I do? Let me know if you'd rather have money, supplies, quilting or packaging.

[Jessi]

What a fabulous little project - I'd love to help with whatever your need might be. If when you get done organizing everything, there's a spot where you need extra help, let me know. I do have an overabundance of flannel that I'll probably never use, so blankets might be a good thing.

[Jill Petersen]

This sounds like a wonderful thing to do for your own birthday! My sis Jamie posted this on her blog. I am happy to help anyway I can. I will e-mail you. Jill Petersen

[Ashley S.]

This is such an excellent idea Kelly! I posted about it on my blog here: http://ashleyschultz.blogspot.com/
Hopefully that will bring more people together to be a part of this great service. Thanks for your example!

[Ashley S.]

I actually meant to give you the link to the specific post. Here it is:

http://ashleyschultz.blogspot.com/2009/01/if-youre-looking-for-ways-to-serve.html

[Asha]

OMG, I had this idea when my daughter was born and I saw a story on TV where mothers had nothing for their babies leaving the hospitals and my heart went out to them. My idea was to pack a little french cardboard suitcase, pink or blue, and fill it with onesies, washcloths, a little toy, baby wash etc and then i was going to make a little, simple baby book for the mom to jot things down (baby books can be expensive), easily printed off my computer. But like every idea I have, I have no funds, time or way to know where it's needed. I commend you for your drive and determination and I know you'll follow through! I'll help anyway that I can.

[Kim]

This is fantastic. I would love to donate for this. Email me with your address :)

[Stefanie]

This might be an odd suggestion (maybe not) You may want to bring this suggestion to Amanda Soule (Soule Mama) she just started a new blog Mama to Mama: http://www.soulemama.com/mama_to_mama/

And she organizes projects like this as well if you want to make a huge impact her last effort brought in over 5,500 hats.

[Alisa]

What a great idea! (What a slacker I've been for all my birthdays!!) ;)
I'm getting a serger this week and live in AF, and I'd love to help.

[Christine]

Great idea, I too am about to turn 31 and have lately been feeling the need to contribute more and help out those who are not as fortunate and blessed as we are. I am in San Jose, CA and will be happy to help in any way I can! I'm not much of a quilter but I'm motivated :)

p.s. just found your blog and it's great!