Saint Martha’s Baby Project in Salt Lake City has a new home

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

SALT LAKE CITY — The St. Martha’s Baby Project in Salt Lake City has been providing layettes to new mothers since 1987. Until last month, the ministry was run by an ecumenical volunteer group that was a ministry of the Office of Marriage and Family Life of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Now, however, the St. Martha’s Baby Project in Salt Lake City will be partnering with Catholic Community Services of Utah, which has operated the St. Martha’s Baby Project in Ogden for many years.

The volunteer essence of the Baby Project in Salt Lake City will prevail.

Supporting women like Judith Puhr, who has volunteered for many years with the Salt Lake St. Martha’s Baby Project, is one of the goals that CCS has, said Courtney Schiever, CCS’ volunteer coordinator.

 “We are here to support them and their volunteer work,” said Schiever, adding that they also want to get the word out about the program and get more people involved.

The program is important to the community, Schiever said. “Being a mom is important, and having the items that you need right when you have a baby … knowing that you have a package of diapers, it really takes the burden off of their shoulders.”

The Salt Lake group has about 20 volunteers who make approximately 275 layettes each year with help from various other individuals and groups.

CCS’s goal for the program is to support 400 mothers every year, Schiever said. The layettes are distributed to women in need through organizations such as Comunidad Materna en Utah, Pacific Islander Health Coalition and Pro-Life Utah.

Being involved in the project “is such a joy,” Puhr said. “It’s respecting the sacredness of life.”

Seeing all the different communities that help this project impressed Schiever, she said. “That whole mission of bringing people together to do good is what I love about it; everybody working for the same thing.”

“When we help each other building those relations with different people we can change the world for the better,” she added.

Over the years, the St. Martha’s Baby Project in Salt Lake City has given away more than 9,000 layettes, but ongoing support is necessary to keep the project running, Puhr said.

“Financial contributions through CCS are the best way to help the project,” said Crystal Painter, director of the diocesan Office of Marriage & Family. “That way they can get whatever products they need.”

Donations also may be dropped off at CCS Basic Needs Center, 437 West 200 South, Salt Lake City Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To donate online, visit ccsutah.org/donate and select St. Martha’s Baby Project SLC in the campaign dropdown menu.