By Dc. Tom Cuskey
Editor
The baby bottles go out empty and come back full. No, not with milk or formula but with coins and bills to help provide pregnant women and new moms with the basic necessities of life for their babies.
Students at Bishop Grimes Junior/Senior High School, along with staff and faculty, undertook the baby bottle drive during October, Respect Life Month. In November, they brought the bottles to the offices of Birthright of Onondaga County where director Diane Cima welcomed the support and spirit.
“It means a lot, especially now during the shortages of formula and shortages of housing for a lot of women,” Cima shared. “Everything that a mother needs, we try to make sure we have, especially formula and diapers for the babies.”
Members of the Grimes Right to Life Club organized the drive and delivered the bottles to Birthright.
Diane Cima (left), Birthright director, with students from the Bishop Grimes Right to Life Club
“We started the bottle drive on October 1st and it ended on the 31st,” club member Ava Rosier told us. The group has been active for four years and this was their second annual bottle drive. Rosier explained that students from all grade levels took part. “I think it’s an easy way of reaching people at the school and it’s an easy way of helping.”
Sophia Corso, Program Coordinator in the diocesan Family/Respect Life Office works with the right to life groups at each of the four diocesan high schools. “It really serves as an inspiration to see young people taking the time to support these pregnancy centers, who help the moms facing difficult pregnancies and doing so of their own volition.”
Cima appreciates the efforts of the Grimes community; it is help that they desperately need. “We get calls from organizations, from individuals who hear about us through word of mouth. A lot desperate calls. We try to fill them all.”
