LEYDEN — With the help of donations, Leyden resident Janell Howard was able to create baskets filled with baby supplies for pregnant refugee mothers entering the country.
Howard was working to assemble the baskets through a nonprofit called Ascentria Alliance Care, which helps refugees as they enter the United States. The organization has several locations throughout Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Howard has been working with Ascentria’s West Springfield location since February. In the spring, she managed to create five baskets in advance of a virtual baby shower.
“All this time I’ve been collecting stuff,” Howard said.
Howard, who’s also an administrative assistant for the town of Leyden, said throughout those months, donors purchased items such as baby clothes, diapers, wipes, care kits, books and toys. Some of the items were purchased through an Amazon wishlist that was set up for the baby shower, while others went to stores and dropped supplies off on Howard’s doorstep.
“I was so happy with the generosity of people helping people that just have nothing,” she said, mentioning that some of the mothers came from Haiti and Ukraine.
Another Ascentria volunteer, Terri Smith from Ellington Connecticut, has worked with Ascentria for more than three years. Smith, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Springfield, said Ascentria reaches out to the church when it’s in need of supplies and the church encourages its members to volunteer and donate.
Back in 2022, Ascentria reached out to Smith because it was assisting five pregnant Ukrainian mothers who had nothing for their babies.
“We decided to give them a basket full of all the newborn essentials they would need for their babies,” she said.
Seven congregations bought items off the Amazon wishlist. Teenagers from the church then assembled the baskets and they were delivered to Ascentria’s West Springfield location.
As part of the partnership, Smith encourages the congregation to hold their own drives for baby supplies, winter clothing, gift cards or school supplies. Through a back-to-school drive each spring, they buy backpacks and “everything the refugee children will need for school.”
“Last year we donated 70 backpacks full of supplies.” Smith said. “We’re hoping to do closer to 100 this year.”
When Smith first began volunteering with Ascentria, she said, “their incoming refugees were mostly from Afghanistan” but “then it shifted two years ago to be” refugees from Ukraine “and now the largest incoming group is from Haiti.”
“Refugees are the most vulnerable people in the world,” Smith said. “As I’ve worked and become friends with so many of them from all over the world, I’ve learned that all they really want is to take care of their families and have someone treat them with love and dignity.”
Smith added that “being a refugee is one of the most lonely experiences” as well.
“They have no home, no friend network, they’ve lost their culture [and] often their language,” she said. “Having someone do even something small to give them a chance to make a new life here makes a huge difference.”
