DOTHAN, Ala. – Wiregrass Hope Group’s annual Baby Bottle Boomerang is back again.
“It starts on the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and a lot of the churches get involved and they have those bottles at their church and people can take home the bottle and just fill it up with change and bring it back and you wouldn’t believe how much money we get from everybody’s leftover change,” says Wiregrass Hope Center executive director Amy Edge.
That change is changing the community.
“The amazing thing that filled baby bottle is the money that makes it so that we can our services are free,” says Edge.
The funds raised allow the center to offer pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, Medicaid application assistant, parenting programs, and an after-baby program for free.
Families in the parenting program can shop in Wiregrass Hope Center’s baby boutique to purchase much-needed items like bottles and clothes with points instead of money thanks to the baby bottle boomerang fundraiser and every family that completes the parenting program is given a new car seat.
“That’s what we’re here for to just support that young family to just really create healthy families in the Wiregrass,” says Edge.
In light of the pandemic causing a lower number of traditional church attendants, the fundraiser has been expanded to some local businesses. You can find a bottle at Bird and Bean, Dove Christian Store, and Eagle Eye Outfitter in Dothan.
The pandemic has also caused an increase in the number of clients in need of the center’s services.
“Especially in our fatherhood program and our after-baby program so this has created a need for diapers sizes 3, 4, and 5 also AR formula which is acid reflux formula,” says Wiregrass Hope Group’s pregnancy center director Rosaland Harrison.
Wiregrass Hope Group also offers free counseling.
