Brooklyn BP Antonio Reynoso Hosts Community Baby Shower for 100 New and Expecting Brooklyn Mothers

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso hosted a ‘Brooklyn Community Baby Shower’ for 100 new and expecting mothers. The day-long celebration took place at NYCHA’s Van Dyke Community Center in Brownsville and was chock-full of games, arts & crafts, giveaways, and information about pregnancy and postpartum care. Since the beginning of his administration, Borough President Reynoso has advanced a historic maternal health agenda, giving the entirety of his first-year capital funding to Brooklyn’s three public hospitals for maternal health improvements and launching a variety of initiatives, including his Maternal Health Taskforce, ‘Born in Brooklyn’ baby boxes, and a multilingual, multimedia public health education campaign.
“When I became Borough President, I promised Brooklyn that addressing disparities in maternal health care for Black women would be a top priority,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “For too long, our systems have deprived new and expecting parents of the essentials that they need to start a family. Community baby showers like this are part of a new way forward that Brooklyn is building for growing families. By celebrating the exciting journey of parenthood for new parents and providing resources to raise our newest Brooklynites, we’re proving that we can help close the gaps in maternal healthcare through community, celebration, and love - the Brooklyn way. Congratulations to all the new Brooklyn families, and a huge thank you to the many partners who joined us to make this joyous day possible.”
The celebration kicked off with games and arts & crafts, featured remarks by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and included two workshops: a Safe Sleep Workshop by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and a Postpartum Mental Health Workshop by Brooklyn Parent Support. Over a dozen organizations tabled at the event, providing information, resources, and supplies to new families. Attendees left with diaper bags full of diapers, baby wipes, baby blankets, postpartum pads, and baby books, as well as a supply box containing a baby bottle, cocoa butter, baby wipes, and more.
The event was made possible by valued partners Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP, Public Health Solutions, and Lyft, who provided attendees with ride codes for safe travel home. Additional partners include:
Met Council
Brooklyn Diaper Project
Brooklyn Book Bodega
Alpha Kappa Alpha - Delta Rho Omega
Alpha Kappa Alpha - Psi Lambda Omega
Alpha Phi Alpha - Gamma Iota Lambda
Delta Sigma Theta - Brooklyn Alumnae
Delta Sigma Theta - East Kings County Chapter
Iota Phi Theta - Beta Rho Omega
Kappa Alpha Psi- Brooklyn ­­- Long Island
Omega Psi Phi - Alpha Upsilon
Phi Beta Sigma - Kappa Beta Sigma
Sigma Gamma Rho - Eta Nu Sigma
Zeta Phi Beta - Delta Alpha Lambda Zeta
Zeta Phi Beta - Delta Alpha Zeta
Zeta Phi Beta - Sigma Kappa Zeta
Other organizations who tabled or supported the event include:
Black Women’s Blueprint
Brooklyn Parent Support
Brooklyn Perinatal Network
Brownsville Multiservice Family Health Center
CAMBA
Caribbean Women’s Health Association
Christopher Rose Community Empowerment Campaign
DOHMH Brownsville Neighborhood Health Action Center
DOHMH Healthy Start Brooklyn
DOHMH Maternity Hospital Quality Improvement Network
Life of Hope
Morris Heights Health Center
NYC Health + Hospitals
NYCHA Van Dyke Community Center
Puerto Rican Family Institute

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Such a fabulous demonstration of a real public servant/elected official honoring and caring for your constituents! Kudos to Antonio Reynoso!