NICU Care Packages 2012

It's that time of year again!! NICU Care Packages! Last year we had this little idea to take a few care packages in to the NICU for parents spending their holidays in the hospital at UW Medical Center. While we were there for 4 months, we never spent any major holidays there. I can't imagine how hard that must be to not be able to be at home and with family. Our hope is that these care packages can bring a little bit of comfort and joy to families. We will be making 50 care packages to bring to the NICU families at UW.

 

Last year, we did "Stuff the Stockings", which I loved because stockings are one of my favorite parts of Christmas morning. However, this year I just don't see myself having the time to make a bunch of stockings. The contents of the care packages will be very much the same, but we will just be doing gift bags to simplify things a little.

This is our "wish list" of items to be included (the things that are crossed out are things we have already received):

Little lotions
Chapstick
Small/Fun Size candy
Granola Bars/Snacks/Gum
Emergen-C/Halls Vit C Drops
Small Notebooks & pens
Kleenexes

Hot Chocolate or Tea
Hand Sanitizer
Preemie Baby Hats (new, knit, crochet, or sewn in preemie sizes)
Small Blankets (new)
Sample size shampoo/conditioner
$5 Starbucks Gift cards
Pink or Blue Gift Bags
Small children's books 

Because of some very generous friends of ours, we already have enough of a few items!!! We were completely overwhelmed with the kindness of our family, friends, and strangers in helping out with this project last year. We were able to make more care packages than we had anticipated! Our wonderful friend Theresa is already working on some adorable crocheted little outfits for babies and our other friend Angie has already collected and donated some equally adorable tiny preemie outfits.

 {All of last year's donations. Amazing huh!?}

The response was so wonderful last year that in addition to the 50 care packages, we are also hoping to be able to donate a few extra packages for families in need. We are hoping to get some diapers, wipes, baby wash, and maybe some preemie outfits (new or gently used).

If you are local, let me know if you would like to donate and we can arrange to pick up/drop off any donations. If you aren't local, don't worry! We have a Wish List on Amazon, you can pick what you want to donate and have it shipped directly to us! We also have a little facebook page for the project if you are interested in keeping up with our needs and the progress. Thank you all in advance for helping out with this project. There's no way we could do it without you.