Three years ago, Calista, a Navy veteran, was expecting her first baby. She had transitioned from Active Duty only a few months prior, and though she and her husband were excited to see their family grow, this new chapter was daunting.
She had heard about our Bright Beginnings Baby Shower and wondered if she could find resources and maybe even some fellow “new mom friends” who were also veterans. She signed up, and a month before her due-date, Calista walked out of our warehouse with diapers, a car seat, some self-care items just for her, and new friends ready to navigate this next adventure together.
Three years later, Calista realized she left our warehouse with something else that day- a support system she knew she could call on.
Last month, Calista reached out to us. Her daughter Madison- now three- was happy and healthy and had some big news she had been sharing with everyone she met- She was going to be a big sister!
Simultaneously, Calista’s husband was in the process of transitioning from Active Duty himself, and the family was going to move only a few weeks after welcoming their newest addition.
Though again excited by this new chapter, Calista was nervous. She had just graduated from her bachelor’s program and had secured a job where the family was headed, but because of her impending move date she hadn’t been able to find stable employment in their current location.
Beginning to worry the family’s savings wouldn’t keep things afloat during the baby’s arrival and the move, Calista recalled the baby shower she attended three years prior. She remembered the warmth she felt looking through new clothes for her baby-on-the-way and the sense of community among the other women in the warehouse that day.
Calista called FFWW and two weeks ago, she walked out of our warehouse with a cart full of household essentials to help carry her family through this transition.
“I remembered your baby shower, and all the sweet little things we received for Maddie. I knew if there was a place that could help us ease these growing pains, it would be you all! Thank you for everything!”
At Foundation for Women Warriors, our programs are designed to help women veterans transition out of the military and sustainably navigate each transition after that. The relationships we build at each distribution create trust so our veterans know they can call on us to help navigate between chapters.
These relationships, and this growing trust would not be possible without our generous community. Helping Calista navigate change and aiding her family’s most recent transition would not have been possible without you. This is Your Impact!
