Testimonials

The Hoffman-Carlton Family

A lifeline and a tremendous boost is how Shannon Hoffman-Carlton describes the ongoing help she receives from a MomsBloom volunteer. After moving in 2008 with her family from Farmington Hills and settling in to their new home in Dorr, south of Grand Rapids, Shannon like many people moving into the area, didn’t have long-term friends and a support system in place to help deal with the struggles of raising a young family. With three youngsters under age 5 and a husband with a busy career, Shannon discovered she was pregnant. Add to that surprise, the doctor informed her at one of her first doctor visits that there were two heartbeats.

The pregnancy put Shannon on bed rest for 22 weeks. At a follow-up visit, the doctor determined an emergency Cesarean section was necessary.  Shannon and Scott Hoffman-Carlton’s twin sons Charley and Henry were born at a little early but entered the world at healthy weights of over six pounds.

“The C-section is something I didn’t plan for and something I didn’t want,” Shannon says. “I was dealing with the emotional let-down of having a C-section.”

Due to some medical complications the boys spent five days at Saint Mary’s Health Care in the NICU. Shannon was worn down, out of shape from all the bed rest and overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for her new babies as well as daughters Riley, 7, Lucy 5 and Emry, 2.  She became sad, not a typical emotion for her, and knew she needed some outside support. She reached out to a support person at Saint Mary’s who directed her to MomsBloom.

That evening MomsBloom Executive Director Sara Binkley-Tow called Shannon and sent a volunteer out for an in-home interview. Her volunteer assists Shannon for  a few hours a week by holding the babies, helping to get the children to bed, or attending to the babies’ need so she can take a shower, nap, or play with daughter Emry while her older daughters are in school. Her MomsBloom volunteer has even accompanied her on a trip to the doctor.

“It was a tremendous help. I didn’t have anyone to talk to,” Shannon says. She appreciates having someone around willing to listen.

The MomsBloom volunteer has become her friend and confidant. Shannon says they have been able to share backgrounds and their experiences with pregnancies and raising children. Every week she knows she can look forward to a few hours of adult conversation.

“I can hand the boys off to her and do what I need to do,” Shannon says. She says her volunteer is kind, encouraging and understanding and has done a great job and Shannon is proud to call her a friend. Her husband has also noticed Shannon’s reduced stress levels.

Shannon appreciates that the services of MomsBloom are free. Shannon and Scott have donated to MomsBloom and plan to give back in some way in the future.

 

MomsBloom volunteer – Carri Smolen

Carri Smolen knows she’s contributing and making a difference as a volunteer for MomsBloom. After moving with her family from Whitehall to Ada, Carri sought out volunteer opportunities and happened upon a listing about MomsBloom in a monthly publication.

She knew firsthand the struggles of young mothers having lived in an isolated area when her two daughters were young and struggling through postpartum depression after the birth of her first child.

“I see where some vulnerable Moms need the support, the encouragement and the conversation that they weren’t getting on a day-to-day basis,” Carri says.

Known for having the heart of a preschool teacher and social worker, Carri now volunteers about five hours a week and works with two Moms. She visits with them once a week and helps out where she’s needed. Whether it’s helping to fold tons and tons of laundry, playing with the older children while Mom takes care of the baby, or simply offering encouragement, Carri knows she’s making a difference by the hugs and smiles she receives and how the children and Moms light up when she visits.

“I feel like I’m giving back. These Moms are struggling in little ways that are huge to them,” Carri says.

Carri said one of the Moms whose own mother is deceased, is overwhelmed as a single parent. Carri has helped that Mom by offering simple suggestions on how to get the daughter to take a nap, and easing the Mom’s anxiety level about the impending birth of her baby.

“I helped get the baby’s room organized and the clothes situated,” Carri says. “She’s asked me to do any number of things from simple housework to folding laundry.”

For the second Mom with three children four years old and under, Carri might play with the youngsters while Mom catches up on the computer for some time of her own. She plays games, colors and read stories to the children. For one scheduled visit Carri met the family at a library that has fantastic children’s programming for toddlers and young kids.

Carri notes that she is strong proponent of using libraries that often offer many free programs for families. She believes in the mission of MomsBloom and expects the relatively new organization to blossom. She has recommended MomsBloom to many friends. MomsBloom volunteers need to have compassion, Carri says.

“You got to be compassionate for these Moms and their present situation, and you’ve got to be able to get on the floor and be vulnerable with these children,” she says.

It’s also important to be sensitive about different economic situations. Many of the families seeking help do not have many resources and face issues such as the heat being turned off for non-payment and ongoing struggles to put food on the table. Compassion and sensitivity are needed as some needing help may be in recovery for addiction or facing the consequences of some poor choices.

Carri and her husband, Dan, an employee at Spectrum Health are the parents of two daughters ages 21 and 19 and a son, age 10.