Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has announced the creation of a $50,000 community baby shower fund boost local support for new parents and parents-to-be.
The initiative — inspired by community baby showers sometimes hosted by elected officials, including Reynoso — will give local nonprofits the funds to host local communal baby showers, where parents can receive free diapers, books, and other baby and postpartum supplies. The BP’s office will reimburse non-profits up to $5,000 to cover non-personnel expenses related to these community baby shower events.
“No Brooklynite should have to experience the joys and anxieties of pregnancy and parenthood alone, and community baby showers offer a powerful venue for neighbors to come together in celebration and in support of one another,” Reynoso said in a statement. “I made a promise to do everything I can as Borough President to make this borough the safest place to have a baby, and I have been so proud of Brooklyn for rallying around this cause.”
To qualify for the funds, applicants must meet several criteria: demonstrate a history of organizing community baby shower events, match the requested funding amount with a description of the source of the matching funds, have a track record of serving young families, and operate in at least one of the initiative’s priority neighborhoods.
“By celebrating the exciting journey of parenthood for new parents and providing resources to raise our newest Brooklynites, we’re proving that we can help close the gaps in maternal healthcare through community, celebration, and love – the Brooklyn way,” he said.
The Community Baby Shower Fund will specifically allocate matching funds to applicants that demonstrate a commitment to serving neighborhoods with historically high maternal mortality and morbidity rates, such as Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville and Crown Heights.
The initiative is part of the beep’s broader maternal health agenda designed to address alarming disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among Black women in New York City, who are eight times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than their White counterparts, as reported by the health department.
Reynoso’s maternal health agenda has made substantial progress since he took office.
The beep has launched a Maternal Health Task Force, allocated of $45 million to public hospitals for enhancements in maternal healthcare, and started a new program to distribute “Born in Brooklyn” baby boxes filled with essential supplies for new parents.
The upcoming funding is part of ongoing efforts to address critical issues in maternal health within Brooklyn’s underserved communities.
“It’s alarming, it’s unconscionable, and it’s a crisis that requires all hands on deck,” Reynoso said.
For non-profit organizations interested in applying for the Community Baby Shower Fund, the application process is open on a rolling basis until funds are depleted. More information can be accessed through the Brooklyn Borough President’s official website, which also provides a guide for organizing community baby showers.
