Health department gathering donations for community baby shower

OREGON — The Ogle County Health Department is collecting items for a community baby shower.

“As a health department, we do an IPLAN — Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs,” said Anisa Torres, county public health services coordinator. “We had identified the top three priorities as access to care, mental health and chronic disease. This baby shower was a quick and easy way to address access to care for moms and families in need with everything going on.”

The event is scheduled for July 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the main Ogle County Health Department office’s parking lot. It’s located at 907 Pines Road, Oregon. Donations are being accepted up until July 8.

There are no specific qualifications one must meet in order to receive items, Torres said. The community baby shower will be set up similar to a garage sale, with items laid out on tables for people to shop through.

“We’re keeping it open to the community as a whole,” she said. “Obviously, we’re trying to target people who are in desperate need of it, but we’re not excluding anyone.”

Items that cannot be accepted include: food items (infant formula, baby food, etc.); used sleep spaces (cribs, bassinets, swings); used car seats; used stuffed animals; and opened hygiene items.

Items that can be donated include: diapers; wipes; diaper cream; baby lotion; baby soap and shampoo; feminine products such as pads, tampons, panty liners, depends, etc.; breastfeeding supplies such as milk storage bags, breast pumps, nipple cream, etc.; household items such as baby-safe laundry soap, dish soap, paper towels, etc.; toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair ties, hair brushes and deodorant; baby clothes; maternity and nursing clothes; linens like blankets, crib sheets, burp clothes, swaddle blankets, etc.; baby toys and books; and other postpartum and baby items.

The following items may be gently used: baby, maternity and nursing clothes, linens and baby toys and books.

All hygiene items must be purchased new and be unopened.

Donations can be dropped off at the main office on Pines Road in Oregon, or at the branch office located at 510 Lincoln Highway, in Rochelle.

For more information, call the Ogle County Health Department at 815-562-6976 ext. 176 or ext. 299.