Hines VA Hospital to host drive-thru baby shower for veteran families

Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital will host a drive-thru baby shower for expecting veterans and their families on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Parents-to-be can receive a variety of baby items to help start their new journeys, such as baby bottles, pacifiers, books, strollers, pack-and-plays, and car seats. Hines will also include self-care bags for new parents.

"Becoming a new parent is an incredible and sometimes tough journey," said Marisa Riis, Hines VA Maternity Care Coordinator. "We want to help expecting families celebrate this very special moment and let them know that they have support at Hines."

To participate, veterans must RSVP to Marisa.Riis@va.gov by Wednesday, Sept. 15.

Parents-to-be should be in their second trimester or beyond, and receive care through Hines VA.

Community members interested in donating items for the veteran baby shower can call (708) 202-8387, ext. 22523.

The baby shower will be held at Crossman's Circle near The Fisher House on the Hines VA Hospital campus, 5000 S. Fifth Ave., Hines, IL 60141.

This is the second drive-thru baby shower at Hines VA, as it continues to support veterans and their families through the ongoing pandemic. To maintain social distancing and safety, participants will be given a scheduled pickup time. Face masks are always required on Hines VA's campus.

Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, located 12 miles west of downtown Chicago on a 147-acre campus, offers primary, extended and specialty care to veteran patients in the Chicago area. It is the largest VA in the state of Illinois, where more than a million veterans reside. The hospital treats more than 44,000 veterans from World War II through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.