[ad_1]
BRIELLE — Brielle residents Corinne and Jim Trainor celebrated their son’s first birthday in support of Michael’s Feat, a local nonprofit organization that offers comfort and support to families caring for ill newborn babies throughout Ocean and Monmouth counties.
According to Cassady McManus, co-director at Michael’s Feat Nonprofit Organization, the goal is to provide an active support system for family care, helping to bridge connections between parents experiencing similar feelings and supplying fresh meals and toiletries to ensure the most comfortable environment possible for the parents and families.
“We worked with hospitals to build rooms in the NICU. We also partner with the hospitals to make sure that the families are getting what they need,” said Ms. McManus. “Whether it’s advocating for them, or keeping them connected to other parents that are going through things, we donate equipment the hospitals might need for the babies.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s about taking care of the parents, so they can do what’s important for their children,” said Ms. McManus.
The “My First Rodeo” themed first party took place in June in the Trainor’s backyard. The birthday boy, Jesse, wore a cowboy outfit and his two brother’s wore t-shirts that read “This Ain’t My First Rodeo.”
With the help of Kellyann Skorupski of Diamante Lifestyle Management, Ms. Trainor organized the first birthday celebration, which included a petting zoo, live country music by a local artist, catering by Local Smoke BBQ, a bartender and tents. The Trainors invited the whole neighborhood from friends and family to cohorts and board members.
“I invited hundreds of people,” said Ms. Trainor. “The hope was that even if they weren’t able to attend, that I would be able to bring awareness to Michael’s Feat and perhaps encourage donations in Jesse’s name.”
Previously, the Trainors held a first birthday party for their son Blake that was a fundraiser for the Frederick B. Lacey Foundation, Ms. Trainor’s family’s education foundation.
“That felt better, to do a fundraiser for his first birthday,” said Ms. Trainor. “So we wanted to do that again for Jesse.”
Their son Jesse spent three days in the NICU when he was born in 2022.
“I’d been familiar with the organization for many years,” said Ms. Trainor, due to her involvement in the Jersey Shore Chamber of Commerce and familiarity with the organization’s founders.
“But until I had my own baby in the NICU, it really didn’t hit home how important their valuable work is and the contribution that they make to the lives’ of families whose infants are in the NICU,” she said.
Ms. Trainor recalled walking back between the maternity wing and the NICU wing down the hallway, where on her walk over those past three days, she would pass the Michael’s Feat family room, just outside the NICU at Jersey Shore Medical Center. Just knowing it was there and available to whoever needed it, was so impactful, Ms. Trainor told The Coast Star.
Ms. Trainor could see how the organization was assisting these families and decided it was a no-brainer that the Michael’s Feat organization was chosen for Jesse’s first birthday.
“It was awesome,” said Ms. Trainor. “We are so blessed, and the kids don’t really need anything for their birthdays, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate them, so we decided to do it a little differently.”
Subscribe today! If you’re not already an annual subscriber to The Coast Star, get your subscription today! For just $38 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
[ad_2]
Source_link
