OUR WHY:
Hadley Grace 26/5 1lb13oz Nixon James 33/5 4lbs10oz Rome Jacob 26/5 1lb15oz
A combined total of 200 days were spent in the Calgary's Neonatal Intensive Care Units between my three littles.
I will never forgot those days and will always be extremely grateful for the care they received. Without the NICU my family would look very different today.
After going through that journey, I wanted to be able to give back to future families like mine,
for them to know that they are not alone.
This is such a special project for me as it is so close to my heart. I will never forget the raw emotions I felt as I watched over my little ones daily, the strength, determination and fight it took for each and every breath.
Today they are strong, healthy, fun loving kids who truly live each day to the fullest.
The joy + happiness that this project brings to the families that have little warriors
in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is so amazing.
OUR PROJECT:
Over the past 5 years our project has had the honor of donating over $10,000 to The Calgary Health Trust for Calgary's Neonatal Intensive Care Units, the pleasure of giving 1,500 gift bags to very deserving families + along with some of Calgary's best photographers, we have photographed over 700 of Calgary's tiniest patients.
With the purchase of every Small+Mighty shirt, our project earns the proceeds. Those proceeds will then go towards sending Small+Mighty bodysuits to families + hospitals to give out to their tiny patients in honor of World Prematurity Day, November 17th.
This year we are unable to visit hospital sites + deliver packages however, in the future, we hope to be back visiting all 5 NICU sites in Calgary, leading up to World Prematurity Day to gift families + capture moments and memories of these little warriors journey's for their families.
GIFTING:
With the current conditions we are not able to personally gift the families at the NICU sites, however we will be shipping out to families directly.
OUR GOAL:
Our goal is to expand across North America. With the purchase of every Small+Mighty shirt, our project earns the proceeds. Those proceeds will then go towards sending Small+Mighty bodysuits to families + hospitals to give out to their tiny patients in honor of World Prematurity Day, November 17th.
The long term goal for this project is for one day to have every family who walks through the doors of an NICU would receive one of our Small+Mighty bodysuits. I know that is a HUGE goal, but I truly believe that in the years to come this will be achieved.
To add some more perspective to this project:
The babies that will receive these gifts may not born yet and the families have no clue that they will go into preterm labor and have a premature or sick baby. I remember sitting in the NICU on November 17th, 2012 just a little over a month after my twins were born feeling so scared, sad and clueless as to what the next minute, hour, day would bring for my two little fighters. Though I had been through this just 18 months earlier with my first born, it was all so much more intense. Feeling helpless as a parent completely changes your outlook on things, this is why I have such drive to give back to the NICU through the Small + Mighty Project. To be able to bless these families and brighten their day, is a gift that I am so honoured and grateful to be a part of.
Our son Rome at Foothills Medical Center NICU in Calgary, Alberta
1 month old
GET YOUR HOSPITAL SITE ON BOARD:
Get your NICU hospital site onboard by ordering for your site now + we will ship out Small+Mighty bodysuits to gift the families on World Prematurity Day (November 17th). Open to NICU sites world wide.
DONATE TO OUR PROJECT:
Do you have an amazing idea to raise funds + collaborate with our project?
Email us at smallandmightyproject@gmail.com
You can help us by purchasing
PREEMIE + NEWBORN
size bodysuits HERE (8 for $23.99)
Please send donations to:
Melissa Gaylard
Small+Mighty Project
6 Auburn Shores Cape SE
Calgary, Alberta T3M 2E8
We are asked each year if sending money to put toward the project is an option and the answer is YES.
What we put the money towards:
-the purchase of bodysuits (purchased through Amazon)
-print costs for the bodysuits (we use Calgary Silk Screen)
-shipping supplies + shipping of the bodysuits to famlies and hospitals across North America
(we ship via Canada Post)
If this is something you would like to do please send through to smallandmightyproject@gmail.com
Please let me know if you have any questions. Click here to view some photos and info from last year.
Please feel free to share this info with ANY shops, bloggers, friends or family that may be interested in helping out!
Thank you again so much!