Community Baby Shower helps provide for essential needs

The Baby Shower by Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County was more than a chance to celebrate young ones — although it was that, as toddlers crawled and walked across the floor in the “Diaper Derby.”

Held April 27 at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, the event brought together nonprofits serving the local community to present their services to pregnant women, new and expecting mothers and their families. 

Vendors like First 1,000 Days Suncoast, Children First, Early Learning Coalition, Sarasota Medical Pregnancy Center and others were present, with many bilingual representatives in attendance. 

Some attendees even left with gifts they didn't anticipate, as each family was provided a ticket for the raffle, which featured gifts from participating organizations, with the grand prize gifts provided by Kiwanis Club of Sarasota.

“I absolutely love this event,” said Shon Ewens, executive director of Healthy Start Coalition. “It's my favorite one of the year because it brings all of our community partners together, and we realize that we're not competing against each other, that we're all working together for our pregnant moms, babies, kids and families in our community, and this is a great opportunity for clients to see all the other resources that are available to them.”