Whether your child was stillborn, died prematurely, or is in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), there is much hope and help available to you. One way to provide hope and comfort to a grieving family is to donate an angel gown. This custom-made outfit is designed to honor your baby. It also serves as a burial gown for your little one. The dress is also useful for taking a photo of your child in the hospital.
The Angel Gowns Program is a group of volunteers who work to provide beautiful, handmade burial garments to families who have lost a baby. The gowns are donated to hospitals, funeral homes, and bereavement groups. The organization spends about $35,000 a year sending the gowns out. They can be found at many hospitals and bereavement centers around the country. The nonprofit also asks for monetary donations to cover the shipping costs.
The angel Gowns Project is a part of a larger nonprofit, NICU Helping Hands. They aim to provide practical support to families of NICU patients and to raise awareness about infant loss. The group teaches women how to sew and pays indigenous women to make the gowns. The organization hopes to set up similar programs in other countries.
The Angel Gowns Project uses wedding dresses to make beautiful, customized gowns for newborns. The project also gives women the opportunity to find meaning in their lives. They are given the opportunity to find purpose and to build confidence. In addition, the organization offers a number of perks to women, including workshops, skills-based education, and job-training opportunities.
The Angel Gowns Project isn’t the only organization doing this kind of thing. Hillary’s Cherished Gowns, based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, is another volunteer organization that specializes in providing free, custom-made bereavement gowns to families. The Angel Babies organization provides a similar service, although they don’t require wedding dresses. The kits provided by these organizations include a baby’s first clothing, a keepsake and a heart-shaped pillow.
The Angel Gowns Program’s Facebook page has a wealth of information on their project. The program also has a warehouse filled with old wedding dresses to donate. The best part of the program is that it offers a “re-use” feature for your wedding dress. The gowns are then cut and re-sewn into smaller, more appropriate sizes.
The Angel Gowns Project’s Facebook page also has a list of organizations that will accept your donated gowns. Some ministries, such as Emilia’s Wings, will provide assistance in shipping your donated gowns. You can also check with your local hospital or bereavement center to see if they have a “Re-use” option. Typically, hospitals will have a waiting list, but it is possible to get the gowns you need.
The NICU Helping Hands website has a list of other support options for bereaved parents and their loved ones. These include: Share, Miscarriage Hurts, First Candle, Mend, and the International Stillbirth Association. There are also several local bereavement groups in your area, such as the First Candle bereavement program and the Bereaved Parent.