May 2016 Give Back Beautiful: Tender Mercies Foundation
Tender Mercies Foundation of Southern Illinois is a non-profit charitable organization to benefit those affected by pregnancy, infant and child loss. TMFSI offers memory items, burial guidance, grief counseling, education, one-on-one support, confidentiality and annual remembrance events. TMFSI is also in the process of establishing a Tender Garden. The Tender Garden will be a resting place for children and babies in our area. It is more likely that parents will be faced with the decision on where they might bury their child only moments before or after their passing than it is that they have a plan in place for such occasions. Some have family plots that are available to them and some have not even had the discussion for themselves, let alone their children. There are visitors to our area that do not plan to stay. There are those that simply cannot afford to purchase a forever place their child.
Stop by Eccentrics Boutique to leave a donation and write a message in memory to honor a life that had so little time. Messages will be attached to balloons released on
Memorial Weekend: Saturday, May 28th. Lauren will match all donations received during May.
Cash & check donations only.
TMFSI provides mothers with memory items so they do not leave the hospital empty handed. Here are items they provide...
Memory Box: A custom handmade memory box that each of the mothers and families are able to hold onto through time. It is their choice on what to include in these boxes but often times you will find birth information, gifted items and pictures. This is a box that each family is able to personalize to their experience.
Lullaby Gowns: Often times these babies are a pound, or less, and are barely the length of an adult hand. Following the lead of others, TMFSI plans to turn donated wedding gowns into lullaby gowns for the newly born.
Edwin the Elephant: Mothers will receive Edwin with a TMFSI contact card so they do not leave empty handed. Mothers are encouraged to hold onto Edwin until they are ready to let go. TMFSI will have the baby’s name and birth information embroidered on the ears.
Impression Kits: No matter how big or small, having an impression of your child’s hand or foot when born is something always cherished. TMFSI hopes to help supply the hospital(s) with special kits, made especially for such tender skin, so that such a gift can be available.
Tiny Flower Pot: To recognize loss by miscarriage, TMFSI wants to provide mothers with a tiny flower pot containing an elephant shaped seed. This will bloom in memory.
Pin for Nurses: Nurses are on the front lines with patients during pregnancy and child loss. TMFSI wants to recognize nurses experiencing their own feelings of loss.
The elephant has become the symbol of Tender Mercies Foundation. The elephant is the only known mammal that actually grieve for their loss. When an elephant is pregnant, other elephants will circle the mother to offer support like a doula.
Help us help Tender Mercies Foundation of Southern Illinois. Each donation will make a difference for a very important foundation in our communities.
XO,
The Eccentrics Team