BOCA RATON | Members of the Christ Child Society of Boca Raton, along with student volunteers, met Oct. 21, 2023, at St. Jude Parish in Boca Raton to assemble packages for babies and mothers in need. Dubbed Make a Difference Day, it’s the Catholic organization’s largest event to gather newborn layettes that are donated to the Palm Beach County Health Department.
During the year, the Christ Child Society collects diapers, baby clothes and related items that are bagged and sent to programs that work with health educators and maternal child health nurses through the health department, said Chris Wyns, president of the Boca Raton group.
“(The educators and nurses) give instructions over the course of several weeks to the new mothers in need. They teach them how to take care of their new baby, and if they attend the classes, at the end they get what we’re going to put together here. A big bag filled with everything you see. They get onesies, sleepers, towels, face cloths, diapers, wipes,” she said.
Wyns explained that, besides the layettes, the Christ Child Society donates Easter baskets to the Boynton Beach Soup Kitchen and backpacks with school supplies to the Caridad Center medical clinic. Partnering with a local Title 1 elementary school, “Twice a year, we give the kids a set of books for the class, then in the summertime they get to take books home,” she said.
Members of the organization meet about every six weeks to work on their projects. New members are always welcome, Wyns said. Email bocaraton@nationalchristchild.org for information, or visit www.christchildbocaraton.org.
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