RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – A new organization in Richmond hopes to give a little hand up to some of the regions smallest in need. And you may be able to help.
Little Hands founder, Taylor Keeney, knows the precious blessings that come with new motherhood – and also the struggle of dirty diapers, sleepless nights. Thankfully, she didn’t have to face the financial hardships so many new parents do just to diaper and care for her son.
And because of that, she wanted to help other moms, donating things she no longer needed.
“I just noticed that I had a ton of baby bottles and some baby gear and some nice gently used clothes that I would love to pass on to a mom in need, and went looking for a way to do that,” Keeney said. “And it took a lot of time and research to find a way to turn them over to another mom, and kind of got to thinking that it should be easier to do that.”
Keeney didn’t just think about it, she acted.
She created Little Hands, a nonprofit group that serves the Greater Richmond region connecting resources with needs. Through donations, fundraising, and crowd sourcing, they get moms the tools they need.
“Our target audience is 0-3 to really help get through the baby phase,” said Keeney, “recognizing that diapers are expensive, wipes are expensive. Kids are constantly growing and you’re constantly needing more clothes and gear and items. The whole idea is to really help moms and babies and families in general get through those early years.”
Little Hands collects donations and money and gives them to partner organizations like social services and hospitals and shelters that serve local families.
One of the first recipients is Family LifeLine.
“It means that we’re going to make a lot of our families very happy,” said Shannon Reaves with Family LifeLine. “For one family in particular, the child became mobile and there was no place to leave the child safely to get dinner cooked or take a shower.”
And that’s the point- meeting basic needs, family to family.
“We now have an exersaucer,” said Reaves, “which is going to be a nice contained developmentally appropriate location for them to put their baby.”
LINK: https://www.nbc12.com/2019/09/09/nonprofit-helps-struggling-new-parents-find-resources-they-need/
