Community Baby Shower | Geneva Jackson
Written By Khatira Darvesh
Sara’s House is a non-profit organization based in Detroit, Michigan, that works with homeless and low-income women to empower them to become self-sufficient and independent.
Geneva Jackson had no experience running a non-profit when Sara’s House was handed over to her in 2005. As she puts it, Geneva felt “inspired by a vision from the Lord” to help women in need. She had spent her life working for the local government and had never been married, had children, or experienced homelessness or abuse that some women she serves at Sara’s House have suffered. But she wanted to serve and help where possible, so she took over managing Sarah’s House.
In 2010, after visiting the homeless shelters and speaking to many pregnant women and girls about their needs, Geneva organized the first Community Baby Shower to provide expecting mothers with the necessary items for their newborns, to celebrate the occasion, and to make it fun. Geneva was able to leverage her church connections and host the shower in the church hall. She connected with sponsors in the community to donate items like car seats, diapers, baby bottles, etc. The community baby shower was a huge success, with 15 -20 women from different shelters.
Since then, the organization has continued to host the event annually, has grown in numbers, and opened the baby shower to low-income women. In 2023, the Sara’s House team expects to serve over 100 mothers-to-be. Sara’s House has also expanded services to include workshops on literacy, job preparedness, breastfeeding, stress management, handling post-partum depression, and many more relevant topics. The workshops are held throughout the year, serving as a build-up to the community baby shower, which happens towards the end of the year. The community baby shower is a fun-filled event with games, prizes, and entertainment for the women and their families. Each participant receives a gift bag with essential items for their newborns.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Sara’s House was able to continue hosting the workshops virtually and host drive-by baby showers so that expecting mothers could still receive the essential items they needed. In 2023, they plan to host the Community Baby Shower in person and make it a fun celebration again.
Geneva’s ultimate goal for Sara’s House is to open a facility to house women and children for up to two years. Many of the shelters in Detroit have time limits of 30-90 days, which does not provide enough time for women to get on their feet. The proposed facility will offer workshops and resources for women to gain literacy and job skills, learn financial management, and receive counseling for mental health issues. This facility will provide a safe haven for women in need, and the extended stay will allow them to recover, learn new skills, and build confidence to excel in the world.
Sara’s House has already significantly impacted the lives of the women they serve. Many of the past participants have returned to school, obtained jobs, become homeowners, and continued volunteering with the organization. Through her involvement with Sarah’s House, Geneva has also experienced personal growth. She has become more compassionate towards others and has learned to step out of her comfort zone. Geneva is no longer a “loner” and can form more meaningful connections within her community.
Sara’s House is a beautiful organization making a difference in the lives of women in Detroit. If you are in the Detroit area, please consider volunteering with this fantastic organization. They need skilled trainers/coaches to run the workshops and volunteers to organize and coordinate the community baby shower!
To learn more about Sara’s House, check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or visit their website
