Week 41 of #52weeksofgiving - Project Sweet Peas New Hampshire
For week 41 of #52weeksofgiving, we are sharing Project Sweet Peas, a national volunteer-led nonprofit providing a range of support to families of premature or sick infants and those affected by pregnancy and infant loss. The organization has a growing number of divisions throughout the country.
Recently, LeMay Family Goodworks team member, Chef Amanda, lost her baby girl, Harper. Amanda wishes to share Harper’s name and spirit with the world, and the family has asked for donations to Project Sweet Peas in lieu of flowers. We have contributed in memory of this special little girl and send our deepest condolences to Amanda and her family.
Keep reading to learn more about Project Sweet Peas and how you can help make a difference and provide hope to families as they face the unthinkable.
About Project Sweet Peas
Project Sweet Peas is run by volunteers who have personally experienced premature or sick infants or pregnancy and infant loss. Their experiences inspire them to provide support to families going through similar situations.
Project Sweet Peas was co-founded by Corin Nava, Kate Crawford, and Stephanie Olivarez, each of whom has their own experiences with premature births of their children and loss in the NICU. The three women found comfort and support in one another and started making gift bags for families with items that they wished they’d had or needed during their hospital stays. They named their initiative Project Sweet Peas, which has since become a nationwide nonprofit.
The organization recognizes the importance of parental involvement in caregiving and decision-making in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and advocates for family-centered care (FCC) competencies in hospitals nationwide. Project Sweet Peas provides:
Care packages
Hospital events
Peer-to-peer support
Financial aid (e.g., monthly food and fuel assistance)
Educational materials
Volunteers aim to support families culturally, spiritually, emotionally, and financially as they endure life in the NICU.
Project Sweet Peas volunteers | Courtesy ProjectSweetPeas.com
Additionally, Project Sweet Peas provides support and healing to families who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss through various keepsake items, peer-to-peer support, and an annual candlelight vigil. Offerings include memory boxes and kits and workshops such as the Write Your Grief Journaling Workshop. Project Sweet Peas’ programs promote memory-making, emotional, and spiritual support.
To date, Project Sweet Peas has provided:
32,227 NICU Care Packages
7,646 Bereavement Memory Boxes
$124k in Funding to NICU Parents
Project Sweet Peas New Hampshire partners with:
Catholic Medical Center
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Elliot Hospital
Southern New Hampshire Medical Center
If you know of a family with a little one in the NICU or having recently experienced pregnancy or infant loss, please direct them to Project Sweet Peas for additional support.
How You Can Provide NICU & Bereavement Support
We invite you to join us in supporting Project Sweet Peas in Harper Manning’s name. Please consider donating directly to the New Hampshire division or starting a peer fundraiser to help Granite State families undergoing these difficult situations.
Or, consider donating items to help Project Sweet Peas fill their care packages. You can donate items in honor or memory of a loved one by tagging each item with a sticker or small card. Simply:
Check with your local division project coordinator to see what items they accept.
Ensure donations are new or newly made and come from a smoke-free home.
Place donations from pet-friendly homes in zip-lock bags.
Ship your items to Project Sweet Peas, 45 Boylston Street, Warwick, RI 02889
Check here for a list of common donation items, or visit their wishlist for more ideas.
If you’d prefer hands-on involvement, check out Project Sweet Peas’ many volunteer opportunities! From in-person positions to virtual support, there is a range of options to put your skills, knowledge, and compassion to work.
Please follow Project Sweet Peas on Instagram @projectsweetpeas or on Facebook to keep up with their latest efforts and ways to get involved.
The nonprofit’s founders also created NICU Awareness Month, using September to honor NICU families and the health professionals who care for them. Learn more at nicuawareness.org or follow them on Instagram @nicuawareness for stories, inspiration, and resources.