The Kathy L. Hutchins Infant Resource Center
If you are interested in contributing to this ministry, there are a number of items that are consistently needed:
- diapers
(newborn to 5) - baby wipes
- baby wash
- baby lotion
- crib sheets
- plastic baby bottles
(4 to 8 oz.) - bibs
- onesies
(S, M, or L) - pacifiers
- baby bath towels
The Infant Resource Center (IRC) is a ministry of Immanuel Baptist Church focused on sharing God’s unconditional love in a practical way with families of children up to 18 months of age (and carry clothing up to size 24 months), who are struggling financially to provide basic needs for their children. The types of assistance offered includes all types of infant clothing, diapers, diaper wipes, blankets, bottles, baby lotion, baby wash, formula, shoes, socks, bibs, etc.
Eligibility is determined by an interview process with the parent or guardian who is asked to provide a picture ID (such as a driver’s license) for themselves, and a copy of the infant’s birth certificate (the hospital birth certificate is acceptable) for the infant. In the case of guardianship, the guardian must provide a copy of the guardianship papers.
Clients are referred to the IRC from social service agencies, former and current clients, friends, relatives, physicians’ offices, the hospital and family resource centers. Clients are served by appointment and may call the center office at 223-7630 to make an appointment. The IRC is open on Wednesdays from 10:30 am until 4:00 pm., except for holidays, and is located on the second floor of Immanuel Baptist Church. On other weekdays, clients may leave messages on the answering service and their calls will be returned to schedule an appointment.
A group of committed volunteers provide the workforce necessary to sort clothing, shop for supplies, fill orders, launder donated clothing and do other errands and tasks as needed. Many other members of Immanuel are involved in this ministry through the donation of infant items, funding and/or performing various services to assist in its operation.
What Do Volunteers Do?
For those of you who may not be familiar with exactly what is involved in volunteering for the Infant Resource Center, I thought a little more detail might be helpful. Volunteers are asked to come in on their assigned day to assist the IRC Director in filling orders or helping put away clothing or other infant items. The IRC is now open on Mondays from 12:30 until 3:30 pm, and on Wednesdays from 10:30 am until 4:00 pm. A schedule is mailed out to the volunteer staff for each quarter, and volunteers are generally not asked to serve more than twice in any one quarter. Preferences for which day of the week best suits volunteers’ schedules are also taken into consideration. If a volunteer is unable to come in on their assigned day, trading with another volunteer, or calling a sub, generally takes care of the problem.
When a client calls or shows up, the IRC Director interviews the client to determine eligibility and assistance needed, and fills out the order form showing the items that the client needs. This order form is then given to the volunteer so that she/he can gather the requested items from the items stocked on the shelves. Once the order is assembled, it is returned to the director and she takes care of finalizing any other paperwork and getting the order to the client.
Volunteers are also asked to sort any new or used clothing that is donated. This means that the clothing is separated into summer or winter items and then matched up into outfits according to sizes. The outfits are then put on the shelves in their appropriate size category. Volunteers are also asked to mark off bar codes from donated items such as diapers, wipes, baby wash, etc. In the past, I have mentioned “light laundry” as a possible “duty”, but this occurs only occasionally when there are small quantities of clothing that may need to be taken home to be soaked and washed. Often volunteers are willing to do this, but otherwise, the director takes care of this. Also, “light mending” means that occasionally there is a button to sew on.
Trying to describe things in writing makes them sound much more formal than they actually are. There is a lot of flexibility in working as an IRC volunteer and we tend to have a fun time in carrying out this ministry. We would love to have you join us! If you are interested, or if you have other questions, let me know or talk to one of the other volunteers.
Contact Information
Those interested in volunteering services or donating can contact Anna Mayne by calling the Church Office at 223-7601.