VIDEO: Queens Church Supports Mothers, Babies in Need Through The Bridge to Life
JACKSON HEIGHTS — Students, parishioners and clergy at St. Joan of Arc Church came together to support mothers and babies in need, collecting diapers, strollers and other essential items for a Queens nonprofit that assists women facing crisis pregnancies.
The church hosted a community baby shower Oct. 18 to benefit The Bridge to Life, a nonprofit that provides support and resources to pregnant women, mothers and their children.
The initiative grew out of a discussion among pastors during a Queens Deanery Five meeting about ways local parishes could help families facing difficult pregnancies.
St. Joan of Arc Church responded by organizing the baby shower and inviting the parish community and students from its Catholic school to contribute.
The response was overwhelming. So many donations poured in that two trips were needed to transport the items to The Bridge to Life.
Father Christopher Heanue, pastor of St. Joan of Arc Church, said the generosity demonstrated the community’s commitment to helping families, including people they may never meet.
“To see the community turn out with such great generosity to help others who they don’t even know. But to help families, to choose life. It’s just a beautiful sign of our faith,” Father Heanue said.
The effort also provided students with an opportunity to put their faith into action and recognize the challenges some families face.
Nickolas Romero, an eighth grader at St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, said the donations could make a meaningful difference for parents struggling to provide for their children.
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“Some mothers might not have the money or support they need. And then the fathers may also have a hard time paying rent and everything, and they have to struggle with their babies. So I think it’s nice that they help them,” he said.
Jane Marie Buenaventura, a parishioner at St. Joan of Arc Church, emphasized the importance of recognizing the value of every child and the impact of helping others.
“Every life is a gift. Every child is a blessing. And your act of kindness makes a difference. And so together we uphold and protect the gift of life,” she said.
For Francesca Yellico, executive director of The Bridge to Life, the donations represented more than baby supplies. They reflected a community willing to look out for families in need.
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“This right here is like a symbol, a small symbol of community and people caring for one another. And I think we all have a responsibility to kind of look out for one another. And sometimes it could be in the smallest ways,” Yellico said.
The Bridge to Life accepts donations throughout the year to support mothers and their babies.
To learn more about the nonprofit or make a donation, visit thebridgetolife.org.