Moonlight Chapter NCL teams with Gently Hugged for sleeper drive

The Moonlight Chapter of National Charity League, Inc. (NCL), a nonprofit national mother-daughter volunteer organization with local chapters, recently had a baby sleeper collection drive for philanthropy partner, Gently Hugged. Gently Hugged compiles bags of supplies for newborn babies, which are then distributed by nurses and social workers to low income, military, immigrant, and foster families in need within underserved areas. Hospitals, prenatal clinics, social service agencies, and homes are typical delivery sites.

NCL Moonlight members were asked to create flyers and ask family, friends, and neighbors for donations of new and used baby sleepers. The target was for each mother-daughter team to collect 10 sleepers. One mother-daughter team, Ella and Dawn Mondero, collected 117 sleepers! In total, NCL Moonlight collected 1,168 new and used sleepers.

Kristen Pruett, Moonlight Chapter President, commented about the Gently Hugged sleeper drive, “I am so proud of our members for the generous donations collected for the Gently Hugged Sleeper Drive! What an amazing accomplishment to collect over 1,100 sleepers and many other gently used baby items.”

The NCL Moonlight chapter has also been busy making items for Gently Hugged. Members have been sewing and knitting baby hats, sewing burp cloths and bibs, and assembling more than 250 washcloth bears. The chapter also made teething rings, more than 300 happy-faced dolls, and 150 sock dolls, in addition to 60 blankets. They also donated gently used or new clothing along with blankets and accessories (hats, socks, bibs) are currently being distributed to families in need through Gently Hugged.

“We are so grateful for the wonderful donation of sleepers we received from the National Charity League Moonlight Chapter,” said Judith Lawson of Gently Hugged. “It is a constant struggle to collect a sufficient supply of usable sleepers. We are overwhelmed by the results of this “sleeper drive” and we cannot thank NCL Moonlight enough!”

An average of 70 to 80 babies per month receive clothing for their first year from Gently Hugged. Since no donation bag is complete without an ample supply of sleepers more than 700 to 800 are needed each month in order to provide each infant with two sleepers in each size for the first year.

Mothers and daughter teams working together to help new families thrive, especially during this season, has been a wonderful opportunity to serve.

For more information, prospective members are encouraged to visit the Moonlight Chapter’s website at https://www.nationalcharityleague.org/chapter/moonlight/ or send an email to membershipmoonlight@ncl.org.

For more information about Gently Hugged, www.gentlyhugged.org.