NICU Nurture Program + How to serve this spring! By Rebecca Dotson

Hey team!

We're so excited about the next couple of months and the Impact Squad visits we have on the calendar! We're praying for those opportunities to impact families and the journey of each patient we're able to touch this spring. Also, we LOVE seeing all of your octopus creations for our NICU Nurture Program! What is the NICU Nurture Program?

What? We want to impact patients fighting serious illnesses of all ages. To impact patients and their families in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit setting, our volunteers create and we donate handmade hats, cocoons and octopuses packaged with handwritten letters of encouragement to facilities across the United States. The handmade hats and cocoons (hat + crocheted cocoon to place the baby in) keep the babies’ head warm while they are in the hospital and encourage the family. The crocheted octopus’ crocheted tentacles remind the baby of the umbilical cord in the womb and provide comfort. 

Why? At 818 Ministries, we care deeply about impacting patients fighting serious illnesses of all ages. The NICU Nurture Program allows us to impact patients in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by delivering handmade gifts (hat, cocoon or octopus) and handwritten letters to these patients.

We will be collecting items for NICU Nurture through the end of March to donate to UT Medical Center in April! For other opportunities to get plugged in and serve this spring OR partner with us financially, read below:

Children's Hospital of Atlanta
Date: April 21 (hats accepted through April 13)
Atlanta, GA
Hat sizes needed: children (6-18 years of age)

UT Medical Center
Needs: crocheted/knitted octopuses for NICU families, see the recent blog post for a simple crochet pattern
Date: will be donated throughout the month of April

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Date: May 4 (hats accepted through April 27)
Memphis, TN
Hat sizes needed: children (6-18 years of age)

Ongoing Needs
- Adult sized hats for patients we serve in an adult setting
- Handwritten letters of encouragement (left unsealed)
- Port Pillows + Drain Aprons (see donate page on 818ministries.com for more details)

To partner with us financially, click the link below:

Partner with us Financially

Thanks for all you do to help us encourage patients fighting serious illnesses!

Cheering for you,
Rebecca Dotson
Executive Director