UNMC Maternal Care Program receives baby kits

Kristine Powell, left, and Chris Andersen with a portion of the donated supplies.

Chris Andersen, 16, has been in the Boy Scouts since he was in the first grade. He is now on the threshold of achieving scouting’s highest honor – Eagle Scout – thanks to the completion of his unique Eagle Scout project – the Infant Care Project. The Infant Care Project resulted in 52 new baby kits that will be distributed to needy mothers served by UNMC’s Maternal Care Program, a division of the department of obstetrics and gynecology.

“This is just an incredible achievement for Chris and a blessing for so many new mothers,” said Kristine Powell, coordinator of the Maternal Care Project. “New born babies need so much and these kits offer not only a starter package, but even more important, when a new mother doesn’t have much and doesn’t have much family support, it means a great deal to receive one of Chris’s kits. It’s really a gift of love and it was all because of Chris.”

Each kit consists of a new durable plastic container with 24 diapers, two bottles, a bottle brush, baby blanket, baby wipes, formula, pacifiers, spoons, rattles, toys and stuffed animals. After preparing the 52 kits, Andersen also donated the stockpile of remaining diapers, formula and baby wipes. A significant amount of personal initiative and leadership was required to fulfill his project — exactly the purpose of the Eagle Scout’s mandatory qualification project.

Chris Andersen, left, and Marvin Stancil, M.D., at staff meeting honoring Andersen’s contribution.

“The Eagle Scout is expected to demonstrate significant leadership in a manner that benefits the community in a non-scout related way,” said Jeff Baldwin, Pharm.D, associate professor of pharmacy practice at the College of Pharmacy, and a former scoutmaster of Andersen’s troop who is currently a member of the executive committee of the Mid-American Council of Boy Scouts.

“I have worked with a number of Eagle Scout projects over the years, but I’ve never seen one like Chris’s. Many candidates will develop a project to landscape a public park or build bird houses, for example. Chris’s project benefiting new mothers and their babies is an unusual choice that reflects both creativity and a very caring nature.”

To say Andersen had to demonstrate consistent leadership is putting it mildly. The Infant Care Project came from a conversation he had with a new, young mother while riding on a MAT bus. The mother revealed that she didn’t have much money and talked of how hard it was to pay for all the necessary supplies for a newborn. Andersen told his mom, Cheryl Andersen, staff member with the University Medical Associates administration, and she helped facilitate Chris’s idea to help such mothers with the Maternal Care Program. Eventually, he developed a plan and made a formal presentation to Marvin Stancil, M.D., medical director of the Maternal Care Program, and staff members.

Kristine Powell and Chris Andersen share a laugh while displaying the contents of a kit for a KETV-Channel 7 news crew.

After Powell and the staff helped develop a list of supplies for each kit, Andersen began to seek donations and support from local businesses. Hy-Vee Stores donated $40 in pizzas for a fund-raising event. In an ingenious marketing move, he returned to his former elementary school, obtained permission to launch a penny drive, and offered the pizza as a reward for the class that collected the most pennies. That contest led to $837 in pennies.

While continuing to collect donated items, Andersen personally negotiated discounts on the kit items from Walmart and stretched every dollar donated. Then, when all the items were in stock, he got McDonald’s to supply snacks for the troop of Boy Scouts who filled the individual kit containers.

“I really want to thank my mom, Hy-Vee, Walmart, McDonalds, my fellow Scouts and scout master,” Andersen said. “The Boy Scout oath and Scout law have become a part of my life. Eagle Scout is the highest rank and I do want to achieve this honor. There are 120 merit badges available and you have to earn 21 in order to achieve Eagle Scout.

“I have worked hard and earned many honors during my years of scouting. But when I look at the stock of new baby kits, I am even more proud to belong to scouting. We’ve already given out 17 kits to new mothers. Knowing that I am helping out newborn babies and their moms means even more to me than being made an Eagle Scout.”

Editor’s Note: KETV-Channel 7 has videotaped a news segment about Chris Andersen’s project. The segment will air Friday, Dec. 10 during the 5 to 7 a.m. morning news program.