About 30 area military moms-to-be were recently treated to a group baby shower in Columbia hosted by the Veterans United Foundation and by Operation Shower.
Some of the women who attended the event at the Atrium downtown never have had a baby shower before. Operation Shower volunteer development coordinator Mallory Leeling of eastern Missouri’s Barnhart tells 939 the Eagle that the group’s mission is to bring joy to military families:
“We can only do this because of (the) Veterans United Foundation. We not only need the sponsorship but as you can see today you look around at the many volunteers we have that are handing out gifts and helping moms,” Ms. Leeling says.
Every mom received a curated gift box filled with necessities and gifts for mothers and babies. Operation Shower was founded to ensure that pregnancy is a time of joy and community and not isolation.
The Columbia-based Veterans United Foundation has supported Operation Shower for 12 years, donating more than $185,000 to fund group baby showers. Operation Shower’s Leeling describes the recent event as wonderful in every way:
“Right now with I think the surge of deployments and just what’s going on in our world, military families need this support now more than ever,” Ms. Leeling says.
VU Foundation senior foundation coordinator Monti Ferrell tells 939 the Eagle that the Veterans United Foundation is meeting these mothers where they are at:
“In their city and their state. And they’re traveling two hours away just to have a chance for a shower to feel like they are welcoming their new life with some sense of community,” Ms. Ferrell says.
She notes all of the honorees at the Atrium were active-duty service members or the spouses/partners of deployed members from area military bases.