The Mercy House inaugural baby shower a cause for joy and gratitude

Before The Mercy House’s first-ever baby shower kicked off, director Cheryl Riley wanted to ensure that the women who showed up would feel at home and especially that they would experience the event as a moment of joy and relaxation. “They’re on their feet all day, these moms,” she told her volunteers. “They never get a break.”

Founded in 2018, The Mercy House provides essential items like nonperishable food, clothing, baby supplies, furniture, etc., to anyone needing assistance. They also help people in need with job searches and finding housing. Three locations — in Newark, Jersey, and Elizabeth — serve hundreds of people weekly. During the year, they also have special giveaways, giving out turkeys at Thanksgiving and gifts during Christmas, for instance.

Riley came up with the idea of offering baby showers after attending two with her daughter. “As I looked around at the abundance of items these new mothers were receiving, I couldn’t help but think about the moms we serve,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if The Mercy House could provide some of these essential items to expectant mothers in the communities we support?”

A warm and welcoming celebration

More than twenty expectant moms participated in the inaugural baby shower at the Newark location on March 18. The house just reopened after extensive renovations. The women were escorted into the main gathering room, decorated with congratulatory posters created for the event by students from St. Joseph the Carpenter School in Roselle, New Jersey.

Riley’s warm greeting was translated into Spanish and Creole. Student volunteers from Kean University then brought each mom a cupcake. Later, the participants were also given a bag with diapers, wipes, a new baby outfit and toy, and supplies like baby wash and ointment.

A few moms brought young kids with them. Riley welcomed them, too, and made sure they each left with a toy. She asked the women to put their children in school and promised that The Mercy House would help them with school supplies and other essentials their families need.

She also stressed that it was important for each woman to acquire a car seat before going to the hospital to have her baby. “They won’t let you leave the hospital if you don’t have a car seat, so when you are getting close to the delivery date, let us know if you don’t have one and we’ll help you.”

“They know they can come here to get anything they need throughout the year,” Riley later said. “We’re here all the time to help them.” She told Jersey Catholic that seeing the happy faces of the women was a sign “that we’re doing exactly what Jesus wanted us to do.”

With diapers and other baby care products becoming increasingly expensive, the expectant moms who showed up to the baby shower said they were happy and grateful for The Mercy House’s help. One of them, Esther, called the event “a blessing.” Another participant, Jayda, said that it can be “very tough” to pay for essentials. “It’s good that they are helping people,” she told Jersey Catholic.

Receiving “a gift from the Church”

The baby shower ended with a raffle, providing the women a chance to win a fancy baby bag, a baby bouncer, or—the grand prize—a combination stroller/car seat. As with the other gifts distributed, they were donated by local schools, parishes, and individuals.

The grand prize drawing proved to be providential for the winner, Yasmine, because she expects to have her baby next week and did not yet have the car seat she will require to leave the hospital with her newborn.

She and Cheryl hugged. “God knew you needed that,” Cheryl told her. “That’s why you won.”

“It’s very interesting because we received a gift from the Church,” Yasmine said later, her eyes still wet with tears. “I personally want to thank you all.”

Meanwhile, Cheryl Riley was grateful to the expectant moms who showed up. “They could have taken a different road… so for me, personally, it’s fulfilling what we’re here for. Life! That’s what we’re about!”

The next two baby showers will take place on April 3 at The Mercy House’s Jersey City location and on June 4 at The Mercy House in Elizabeth. Both events will start at 11 am.

To volunteer or donate, contact Cheryl A. Riley at cheryl.riley@rcan.org. For more information about The Mercy House, visit www.rcan.org/mercy-house.

You can see more images of the baby shower here.

Featured image: The Mercy House director Cheryl Riley greets the expectant mothers who turned out for the ministry’s inaugural baby shower on March 18.