Local relief society prepares baskets for first-time moms

FALLBROOK – The Military Outreach Ministry Program from Camp Pendleton has many ways volunteers serve the military families who live on the base. These programs are open to all branches of the armed services. One of these programs is the “MOMS 1st Baby Care Package.” It provides a basket of 0- to 6-month-old baby goods for young couples expecting their first baby.

The Vista Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Relief Society has a number of projects it works on each year to help in the communities of Vista, Bonsall and Fallbrook. This is provided under the humanitarian branch of the Relief Society. The wards in Vista work on Operation Hope and Solutions for Change among others.

Fallbrook members of the Relief Society work for the Fallbrook Food Pantry and, for the last two years, they have worked on MOMs 1st Baby Program for Military Moms.

Leigh Braithwaite, the humanitarian leader for the Vista Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also a Fallbrook resident said, “We want to serve our community, and these young mothers are very much a part of our community.”

The Fallbrook 1st Ward began its turn in September. Mary Kay Tanner, humanitarian leader for the Fallbrook 1st Ward, said, “These young women are here, away from their families, and sometimes their husbands, it is a way that we can reach out to them and show how much we love and support them.”

Patty Dutra, who has worked for the Military Outreach, specifically works for the MOMs 1st Baby program and has for the past five years. She said it is “not a need based program, but a gratitude based program.”

They have a website at http://www.mom4usa.org that has a Facebook link where comments of appreciation are posted from many women who have used the different programs. The MOMs 1st Baby program is not the busiest program, but it supplies 50 to 60 new moms with baskets each month. It saves new military mothers hours of shopping and many hundreds of dollars in merchandise.

They are currently in need of crib sheets, socks, rattles, and towels. However, they love homemade items such as blankets, quilts, burp cloths, baby hats. Dutra said, “The young mothers look at the homemade articles as heirlooms. Other things on the list are onesies and sleepers, receiving blankets, bibs, small infant toys, nail clippers, and outlet covers. They want only 0- to 6-month-old items in each basket and every item needs to be new.

Mary Kay Tanner said, “It is an honor to be selected to help with these baskets. This is one of the ways we can help support our troops.”

Maria Mendonca helped to put the packages together and as she put them together she said, “It is a simple gift for their first baby, we are happy that they are continuing their families. We are grateful to welcome your new baby, may God bless your whole family.”

“It is a program that the Vista Stake hopes to continue for many years to come,” said Braithwaite.