donations for Holt

As we wait to travel to Korea, we would love to begin accepting donations for Holt Children’s Services. If anyone feels led to donate items for us to deliver, the following is a list of their current needs based on priority.

 

TOP NEEDS

1. Finger food snacks such as Gerber puffs (sweet potato is a good flavor) or Gerber Lil’ Crunchies (mild cheddar is a popular flavor)….Note: It does not specifically have to be Gerber brand. – This request is from the Holt clinic (WBC). 

2. Baby & toddler Clothing – They need preemie (new born) until 2T, 3T. There is a greater need for boys clothes than girls clothing. As children are staying in care longer, the need for older baby and toddler clothing has grown. Please send new clothes. “We would love to receive these as a donation.”

3. Moisturizing Baby Lotion or Cream for dry skin is a high priority. This is particularly important in the winter. Examples include:

* Aveeno baby lotion – Many of the babies get very dry skin (dermatitis), especially in the winter and this lotion is extremely expensive in Korea.
* Cetaphil moisturizing lotion
* Johnson & Johnson baby lotion
* Vaseline will be also good. 

ADDITIONAL NEEDS

* Gerber Rice Cereal (single grain) – Single gain rice cereal is an urgent, important and ongoing need for Holt Korea. There are a lot of premature babies in care as well as children with other medical concerns. Single gain rice cereal is a critical part of meeting the nutritional needs of these kids as many cannot tolerate the multigrain cereal that is available in Korea, and single grain rice cereal that is available is less easily digestible than that which is made in the U.S. Supplies of the Gerber rice cereal routinely run low, so families who would like to donate items either when they travel or via mail are encouraged to bring/give rice cereal.

* Diaper rash cream as like Desitin and aloe gel. This need is particularly high in the summer months.

Note re diaper cream: …diaper cream in Korea is $33.00 a tube, thus it is asked for in donations. It is still a relatively new imported item (within the last two years I am assuming based on my fruitless efforts to find it in past trips to Korea) within Korea. No Korean brand is available – French brand is available only. In March, my Korean SIL showed me her tube of diaper cream that she uses on my niece in Korea (they live there with my BIL), and I was SHOCKED to see how expensive it was. 

* Sometimes they have older children over 3 or 4. Coloring books, crayons, toys, etc are very helpful.

BIRTH MOTHER NEEDS

* Stretch mark lotion/cocoa butter - used for relieving the itchy skin of expecting mothers due to their skin stretching to accommodate the baby. This is the top priority for the birth mothers. “Recently one adoptive family brought this but they were only able to give it to one maternity shelter in Seoul though they have 5 maternity shelters. Young teenager moms need these.”

* Maternity clothes - Assume XS, S, or M size. (maternity clothes are expensive in Korea). New maternity clothing only please (i.e. no hand-me-downs).

* Aloe Vera

 

SPECIAL NEED – Ergo (or similar) Baby Carriers

"If you are considering gifts or donations to your agency that would help out the foster mothers, when we were in the Holt Korea office meeting with the Seoul foster families in May 2012, they asked me to pass along that they would really appreciate new or gently-used Ergos (or similar baby carriers) that work well for older babies and young toddler." http://store.ergobaby.com/

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS NEEDED

* Multi-vitamin with iron – polyvisol (for babies)
* Baby toys (rattles and teething toys)
* Preemie baby clothes (unavailable in Korea)
* Hand sanitizer – This is needed in the Reception Center as they go through a lot of it with the visitors. During the cold/flu season, it is also used by the foster families, etc.