Mary's Cradle: Here to Help

Mary’s Cradle was established in the spring of 2024 as part of the Walking With Moms in Need initiative. We work as an outreach program through St. Mary’s Cathedral and we are located in the Parish Center in Grand Island. Our mission is to help and support young women facing unexpected pregnancies. Sometimes, they have no one to turn to and feel overwhelmed. Our hope is that they will choose life for their baby over abortion. We want these young mothers to know that their baby was not a mistake but a gift and God has a plan for them and a plan for that baby. Mary’s Cradle is here to help them on that journey. We want these young women to feel loved and supported by our Faith community. We also help single moms (and dads) struggling to make ends meet and families in crisis situations with babies.   

Our young mothers come to us from various situations. High school students ages 14-17 who find themselves dealing with unexpected pregnancies, abusive home situations, single dads, date rape, divorce, deportation of the father, homeless living in a car, immigrants who come to our country with little or nothing and even grandparents. One great-grandfather touched my heart. He stepped up when no one else would. He was told either he and his wife would take custody of his great-granddaughter or she would go “into the system.” (The parents were in drug rehab). He wasn’t going to let that happen; they took her. He needed just a little help from Mary’s Cradle. Normally their Social Security would cover expenses, but he had had a stroke the month before and had unexpected medical bills. He needed help with diapers and formula. Another young woman came to us eight months pregnant. She arrived in this country with just a backpack. Mary’s Cradle provided her with diapers, baby clothes, a baby bassinet, nursing supplies and more. We soon found out: there is certainly a need in our community for this program. We have helped over 125 single parents since we opened our doors.  

In our “Baby Boutique,” we provide diapers, baby clothes, baby beds and equipment at no cost. Much of our inventory is “gently used,” and we ask that when the baby outgrows it, that the client please donate it back. Mary's Cradle has a great team of volunteers. We were especially blessed this year with the addition of two interpreters who help me with translation. Mary’s Cradle is completely volunteer and donation-based. This enables us to spend 95 percent of our donations directly on supplies to help young mothers. The other 5 percent is spent on printing brochures and materials, which we put in area parishes, high schools, middle schools and local college campuses.   

You might wonder what motivated me to start this outreach program. I was married at 19, had my first son at 21 and became a single mom at 22, with a 9-month baby.  My husband simply walked out on us. I have experienced the difficulties of being a single mom and could have benefited from a program such as Mary’s Cradle. My other concern was how many babies were being aborted out of fear. Fear that they couldn’t raise a baby by themselves. I am living proof that it certainly can be done and still have a happy, productive life. Their baby will bring them more joy than they ever imagined. Faith plays a big part in all of this. The Lord walked by my side every day and still does.