“We call it a Global Baby Shower,” explains Phillipa Williams, founder of ilooklikeLOVE, “because it’s a collective community experience unrestricted by circumstances. We want families to know that whatever circumstances they’ve dealt with, however this baby came into being, whatever the case may be, this is an opportunity for us as a global community, even in our local space, to celebrate you.”
And so, four times a year, ilooklikeLOVE invites families in the community with children aged 0 to 3 who are eligible for WIC or SNAP to participate.
“Our partnership with ilooklikeLOVE is one of the most strategic alliances we have,” says Barbara Johnson, CEO of Hope Supply Co., which provides diapers for distribution at the showers. Phillipa agrees: “We have been working with Hope Supply Co. since 2018 and, over the years, it has been a pivotal and beneficial partner.”
In some ways, baby showers hosted by ilooklikeLOVE are like typical baby showers, where everyone gathers, eats cake and gives gifts in a welcoming environment. But at Global Baby Showers, Phillipa explains, “A combination of things take place. Our showers are designed to help prepare the family for what’s coming. At the shower in October, we hosted a potty-training workshop and a prenatal nutrition workshop. The pregnant moms went to the prenatal class and then everyone whose babies are here went to the potty-training session. They spent some time with experienced individuals in that area, just taking in information that will help them long after the shower ends.”
In addition to nutrition sessions, another popular workshop focuses on breastfeeding. While the health benefits and positive impact on baby development are emphasized, the cost-effectiveness of breastfeeding is also discussed. “Particularly in these times, it’s important that we return to some of the basics of motherhood and the things that generations past have benefited from that were healthy for babies,” Phillipa explains.
In addition to supplying diapers for the baby showers, Hope Supply Co. provides about 11,000 diapers a month to ilooklikeLOVE for general distribution, according to Phillipa. Beyond that ongoing commitment, Phillipa notes that Hope Supply Co. is an organization she can count on in emergencies.
“When the tornadoes hit Northwest Dallas and ripped through the city, I reached out to Hope Supply Co. because a church had reached out to me to see if we could provide some inventory in that area,” Phillipa said.
Through coordinated efforts, 30,000 diapers were distributed to that community in one day.
“Hope Supply Co. has always been willing to step outside of the norm. That wasn’t a normal effort for us, but when we reached out to them to say, ‘Hey, we need your help with this,’ they were very supportive and eager to give support,” she says.