Ross County baby shower serves 52 mothers, expands infant support services
More than 100 people came for 52 mothers, and Ross County turned a baby shower into a one-stop infant support fair with diapers, referrals and safety checks.
More than 100 people filled the Adena PACCAR Medical Education Center in Chillicothe on May 13 for a Ross County Health District baby shower that served 52 mothers and more than doubled the size of the 2024 event. The three-hour gathering, held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for pregnant women and new moms with children up to 6 months old, showed how a baby shower can function as a public-health touchpoint as much as a celebration.
The support behind the event came from a broad mix of health and community partners. CareSource, Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio, and Molina Healthcare sponsored the program, helping underwrite a model that brought 25 agencies into one room. More than 30 door prizes were handed out, but the bigger draw was the range of services families could access without having to chase down separate appointments across town.
Ross County Health District used the event to connect families to infant-safety and home-visiting systems. Four pack-and-plays were distributed through its Cribs for Kids program, 18 Cribs for Kids referrals were made, and four families were referred to Help Me Grow Home Visiting. The district also brought its medical mobile unit, and car seat safety checks were available on site, turning the afternoon into a practical checkpoint for newborn care and safe sleep education.
The diaper table was another major piece of the turnout story. Bottoms Up Diaper Bank distributed about 2,400 size 1 and size 2 diapers, a concrete reminder of how quickly basic supplies become a pressure point for new parents. Ross County Health District has also said enrolled Help Me Grow families receive 50 diapers in their child’s size each month through the same partnership, giving the event a built-in connection to ongoing support rather than a one-day giveaway.
The structure of the shower mirrors how Ohio’s Help Me Grow system is built to work. The state’s evidence-based parent support program includes Central Intake, Help Me Grow Home Visiting, and Help Me Grow Early Intervention, and the Ohio Department of Children and Youth says one referral can open access to multiple programs. In Ross County, the 2026 baby shower made that pipeline visible. By combining sponsors, hospital space, home-visiting referrals, safe-sleep resources, and diaper distribution, the district created a repeatable local model for reaching families early and linking them to services that continue after the party ends.
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