Tonia Martin, director of operations for Mary's Helping Hands, joins The Catholic Morning Show to celebrate five years of the West Des Moines nonprofit providing maternity and baby essentials to families across Iowa. She traces the organization's growth from a single garage to thousands of households served each year and shares a client story that captures the mission's heart. Tonia also previews the nonprofit's 5th Anniversary Open House and explains simple ways listeners can get involved.
Mary's Helping Hands started five years ago when two Sacred Heart moms noticed they had an abundance of gently-used baby items and wanted to get them directly into the hands of families in need. What began serving 67 clients in its first year has grown into an organization supporting thousands of Iowa households annually with maternity clothing, baby clothing sized newborn through 2T, and monthly essentials like diapers, wipes, shampoo, and lotion.
Tonia shares the story of Brooklyn, a young mother of three who found Mary's Helping Hands through a social media recommendation and has become one of the ministry's biggest advocates — including a handmade baby quilt moment that brought her to tears. Tonia also talks about the volunteer sewers who repurpose old bedsheets and fabric into pack-and-play sheets and washable breast pads, turning donated materials into essential items for new families.
5th Anniversary Open House 📅 Sunday, August 23, 3–5 p.m. — Bring the whole family for treats, games, and a tour of Mary's Helping Hands.
Get Involved
Listen to The Catholic Morning Show weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on the Catholic Radio Network, IowaCatholicRadio.com, or the Iowa Catholic Radio app.
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