Celebrating Parenthood

Published: August 2024

Expectant parents are being showered with additional support in a fun and leisurely way. Imua Family Services holds community baby showers each quarter at the nonprofit’s Discovery Garden in Wailuku, Maui. The first ones were in January and April and the next events are scheduled for August and November.

The baby showers are intended to give expectant parents information about all the resources available to them pre- and post-pregnancy, but the events are held like a typical baby shower, complete with gifts, games, massages, and mocktails.

Dean Wong, executive director of Imua Family Services, says that while some parents-to-be have families and friends to throw them baby showers, a lot of people in the Islands do not. “Either their families don’t live in the Islands or they don’t have the means since the fires. Some people don’t have homes. They’re still displaced,” Wong says. “Supporting parents-to-be is one of our most important priorities. The investment from Kaiser Permanente for these baby showers reminds parents and their families that they are cherished and supported. We are creating a safety net of support from the onset so parents will know we are here for them.”

So far, the showers have been very popular. “The first one was for 40 expecting moms, and we put it out there for persons in their second and third trimester, and it filled up within a day,” says Wong. “Once we saw how that went and how well that was received, we kind of made some fine-tunings to the second one and we also increased the number of people that we could gather. And then that one also filled up very quickly.”

Not only do the parents receive gift bags packed with baby essentials and folders full of resources, they’re also able to make friends with other attendees. “The earlier that families can start creating their support circle or their network of friends,” says Wong, “the more support they’re going to have as they’re raising their children.”