Over $12,000 donated to Jesse Brown VA veterans in drive-through baby shower

Over $12,000 in newborn items were donated to female veterans and shared at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago on Saturday, April 2.

Twenty-four expectant female veterans and their families received hundreds of dollars in infant necessities.

Upon arrival at the Jesse Brown VA entrance, the veterans were greeted with balloons, applause, and cheers. Following this they were quickly identified, their items were located by the organizers, and loaded into their vehicles. Car seats, strollers, infant bathtubs, infant toiletries, handmade bibs and blankets, filled diaper bags, boxes of diapers, bags of children's books, and more were packed into their cars, vans, and trucks.

Anticipating only a few baby items from the event, many veterans were overwhelmed.They were grateful for the generosity and the numerous baby gifts they were receiving. "I can't believe all of the gifts I am getting. This will help me so much!," stated one veteran as she wiped away the tears.

Female veterans who had lost limbs from combat, who had served in the Marines, Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, arrived one after the other and were given everything they needed to welcome a newborn home.

Many organizations came together as one to show their support and make an impact on the expectant veterans' lives.

Jesse Brown VA's Center for Development and Civic Engagement staff and numerous volunteers teamed up with various groups, such as the VFW Auxiliary Post 2298, the 5th and 19th VFW Auxiliaries, Humana, Operation Sweet Life Inc., and Celebrating All That is Feminine (CATIF).

"These brave female Veterans faithfully served our country during peacetime and conflicts. The event was an opportunity for many to now serve them as diligently as they had served us," said Praseetha Harilal, Jesse Brown VA's maternity coordinator.

Jesse Brown VA Medical Center provides a number of services and resources for female veterans seeking maternity care and or routine care. For more information on the services provided, contact the Jesse Brown VA's Women Veterans Program Manager Asya Brodsky at (312) 569-5933, maternity care coordinator Praseetha Harilal at (312) 569-7797, or the Women's Call Center at (855) 829-6636.

For more information on qualifying for VA Benefits, contact Jesse Brown VA at (312) 569-8387 or visit www.va.gov/chicago-health-care.