Meet Paula Kelly, Dana Dusek, Lindajean Giraudin and Patricia Abrams of Baby Gowns for Eternity

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Kelly, Dana Dusek, Lindajean Giraudin and Patricia Abrams.

Feb 2016- Four friends – Dana, Lindajean, Paula and Patricia were gathered around a kitchen table crafting, sharing stories and fellowship, discussing our desire to find some meaningful volunteer work to become involved with. Each of us were aware of groups across the country that were using donated wedding gowns to make burial garments for babies who were lost before, during or shortly after birth. We felt this would be something we could do, wanted to do.

There was a connection to this work for all of us. Lindajean lost a son during the first trimester, Patricia had experienced the loss more than once through her daughter’s losses. Paula as a nurse had witnessed families losing their long awaited baby and knew there was a need for them to have something to dress their precious babies in. One of Dana’s daughters suffered a miscarriage and she also had experience with infant loss through friends. Our lives are based on faith and we all knew we were being called by One Greater than each of them.

After much discussion, we decided without hesitation to plunge in head first and form a group to make these burial gowns so anyone who needed a gown for their baby would have it.

Baby Gowns for Eternity was founded on February 22, 2016, with our motto becoming, “Dressed for Heaven, Wrapped in Love”

We are dedicated to our mission of serving as many parents as possible that go through the devastating time of losing an infant. We want to make sure they have a beautiful, one of a kind, gender specific, lovingly created Baby Gown so their baby will be “Dressed for Heaven, Wrapped in Love”. If we can provide just a glimmer of happiness and normalcy for these parents and their families, then our mission is complete.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road was legally challenging.

February 25, 2016: Filed our nonprofit corporation status and DBA’s with the State of Texas.

March 16, 2016: Incorporated in the State of Texas.

April 28th 2016, received our 501 c (3) nonprofit tax exempt status from the Federal Government.

The challenges weren’t only the legal ones. Fundraising and recruitment of volunteers hindered us.

Baby Gowns for Eternity – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a community volunteer group that transforms donated wedding dresses, formal wear, special occasion dresses, and even menswear into beautiful, one of a kind, outfits for all who may need one.

We make seven different sizes of gender specific garments. There are garments available that will fit the smallest angels (>12weeks) through full term.

Our organization is truly ALL VOLUNTEER, no one receives compensation for their involvement. Every donated dollar is used to operate the business.

More often than not when a baby is lost, the only thing a hospital may have to place the baby in while the parents spend a few precious moments with their little one is a towel, blanket, or oversized diaper. By donating Baby Gowns for Eternity to hospitals the staff has something beautiful for the baby and it creates a loving memory for the parents.

The gowns we donate also give the parents the opportunity for their baby to be photographed by volunteer professional photographers, providing more memories of their precious, beautiful baby.

As one parent said “This is the only outfit my baby will ever wear. It is beautiful. Thank You.”

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For us, success is defined by the number of generous individuals that have supported us in our journey. We are very fortunate. Our success is also measured by the numerous dress donations we receive from locations within and outside the state of Texas. During a typical week, we will often receive 1-2 dresses from people that find our website or Facebook page through internet searches.

It is not just dress donations that measure our success. A large part has occurred through the generosity of individuals and businesses that have donated monetary funds, office supplies, sewing supplies and reduced monthly storage fees for the storage unit we use to store the donated gowns and supplies in. It is the generosity of the kind gentlemen who helped us reinforce our hanging system in the storage unit after the ravages of some local flooding.

Luckily, our unit and the dresses survived Hurricane Harvey due to their hard work. Our success comes from local church groups helping us take apart the wedding gowns in preparation for them to be transformed into Baby Gowns.

Our success has also been helped by the many people that hear about us just by word of mouth being passed from one group to another or just person to person or most importantly by the families that we have been honored to provide a gown to in a time so devastating to them.

Contact Info:

• Website: babygownsforeternity.net
• Email: babygownsforeternity@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/babygownsforeternity
• Facebook: facebook.com/babygownsforeternity

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.