Landover baby shower adds dads den, screenings and free resources

Free diapers, blood pressure and glucose checks, car seat safety inspections and a new Dad Den will give Landover’s third annual Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair a much broader reach than a typical giveaway line. The free event is set for Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Road, and MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is hosting it with Clinton Baptist Church as part of the PG Healthy Start Program.

The fair is built for expecting parents, new parents, families with young children and anyone supporting a growing family. MedStar’s event materials say families can pick up free diapers and wipes while supplies last, and themed giveaways are being offered while supplies last as well. The list of prizes points to a practical focus: car seats, pack-n-plays, strollers and themed baskets all are part of the draw.

What makes this year’s version stand out is how much more it is doing at once. More than 40 community partners are expected to take part, turning the fair into a one-stop connection point for local services that families often have to chase down separately. Health screenings and safety checks sit alongside the baby supplies, which is the right mix for a county where new parents still need basic goods, but also need fast access to preventive care and trusted referrals.

The new Dad Den gives fathers a defined place in an event that too often centers only on mothers and babies. Pairing that space with blood pressure and glucose screenings is smart, because it treats fatherhood, and family health, as part of the same support network. The addition also hints at where the local system is growing: not just in handouts, but in outreach that tries to pull more family members into care early.

That outreach matters. MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center reportedly enrolled dozens of new PG Healthy Start members at last year’s fair, a sign that the event is more than a community celebration. It is also a recruitment stop for a program built to connect families with ongoing support. In other words, Landover’s baby shower is expanding, but the fact that diapers, screenings and enrollment all still need to happen in one room says the region’s family support system is growing because the need is still there.