Community Baby Shower and Health Fair for Migrant Mothers Supported by SAMU First Response
Maryland Latinos Unidos, a statewide network of organizations, businesses, and individuals who support Latino and immigrant communities hosted a Community Baby Shower and Health fair for new and expecting migrant mothers. This fair was hosted on June 1st, 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland and partnered with Luminis Health, Well Point, City of Annapolis, and SAMU First Response.
This initiative provided an opportunity for new and expecting mothers to receive the necessary supplies in order to take care of a newborn child (such as baby clothes and diapers), receive information on the resources available for pregnant mothers in the Maryland area, and get in contact with specific organizations that can help them once their baby arrives.
SAMU First Response played a large role in this organization by providing a large donation of baby clothes and supplies to the event, which were originally donated to us by Delivering Goods. We also were able to give out cell phones that were donated by WelcomeUS and came with a one-year plan for activation. This resource opens so many doors for families in the United States looking to start their life in Maryland. With a one-year cellphone plan paid for they can look for housing, community resources, connect with family members in their home country and across the United States, and even look for employment.
During the event we spoke with many of the mothers about our services and resources that we provide. Some of the mothers had just arrived from crossing the border, while others had been in the area for one or two years already. We used this event as an opportunity to provide the correct information to migrants and their families about the valid documentation that is needed to be able to access services in the United States. There is specific documentation that is required for those who have crossed the border and is needed in order to access services in the area. There are times in the community where misinformation has been shared and we used this time to make sure that the correct information was being shared and distributed, so that they can access the services that they need.
We are grateful that we were able to partner with this event as it is important for SAMU First Response to continue to be a helping hand in the lives of migrants starting their life in the United States. Our work with the migrant community is more than just a three-day respite for those who have initially arrived. We are working to provide a more comprehensive scope of resources and always put our best foot forward to provide what we can to the migrant community through our values of excellence, kindness, and education.
