08/06/2026
🎪❤️ THANK YOU, METRO EAST COMMUNITY! ❤️🎪
Rain couldn't stop us!
On August 1, 2026, The Doula Lab's Under the Big Top Community Baby Shower & Back-to-School Event welcomed 175 families, reached an estimated 556 individuals, including 194 children, and supported 52 expecting families with vital resources and supplies. Families traveled from 28 different ZIP codes to join us for a day of community, connection, and support. We also distributed more than 300 backpacks filled with school supplies to local students.
This event would not have been possible without the incredible support of our sponsors, partners, vendors : Birth to Five Illinois Region 50, St. Clair County Health Department, East Side Health District, Operation Food Search Metro Market, Molina Healthcare of Illinois, Chestnut Health Systems, Nurture Birth & Health, Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, Coordinated Youth & Human Services, Creation Kids Academy, Illinois DCFS, WE CARE Clinic Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center, Vision Point Grooming and Styles, Once Upon A Child, Healthcare Healthy Start, volunteers, and attendees.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
💙 Aetna Better Health of Illinois
💙 Illinois Democratic Party
💙 Illinois Department of Public Health Birth Equity Grant
We are especially grateful to the Democratic Party of Illinois, Senator Christopher Belt, and George McClellan, candidate for the 114th House District, for joining The Doula Lab in supporting families throughout the Metro East. Together, we provided infant supplies free of charge to 52 expecting families while also offering free school supplies and a community resource fair that connected families with critical health, education, and support services
Thank you to all of our amazing vendors and community partners who helped connect families to critical resources and services throughout the day. Your commitment to serving our community helped make this event a meaningful success.
📸 A special thank you to Tim McNeese for capturing the day through beautiful photos and video, helping us preserve the memories and impact of this incredible event.
🎈 And a heartfelt thank you to Chasity Gage and Gage Creative Studios for creating the stunning décor that truly brought the "Under the Big Top" theme to life and created a welcoming atmosphere for our families.
🌧️ Even with rain and weather challenges throughout the day, families continued to show up, demonstrating the tremendous need for resources, support, and community connection. Your presence made all the difference.
To every family who attended, every volunteer who served, every vendor who shared resources, every elected official who stopped by, every sponsor who invested in our mission, and every supporter who helped spread the word:
THANK YOU. Together, we are building healthier families, stronger communities, and brighter futures for Metro East families.
✨ Empowering families. Transforming care. Centering joy in every birth. ✨
