If you are struggling to make ends meet and providing for your baby has become difficult, you can find an organization or business that provides free assistance for you and your family. Residents of Columbus, Ohio who are in need of baby items, such as diapers, clothes, formula or toys, can visit local charitable organizations and women's centers for free supplies.
Charitable Stores
In 1999, the United Methodist Church for All People created the United Methodist Free Store (4allpeople.org/freestore.html) to offer help to families in need. The United Methodist Free Store offers free clothing and household items for infants, children, women and men. The Westside Free Store Ministries (westsidefreestore.org) is a faith-based charitable organization that offers free clothing and household supplies for all ages. You can visit the Westside Free Store for clothes, toys or other items for your baby. The number of items you can obtain each month from the store depends on the size of your family.
Clothing and Food Pantries
The Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio (naicco.org) has a Clothing Pantry and a Food Pantry that provide free clothing and food to people in the 43207 zip code. If you need emergency clothing for you baby, you can visit the Clothing Pantry. If you visit the Food Pantry, make sure to bring your picture ID as well as your baby's birth certificate. Neighborhood Services, Inc. (neighborhoodservicesinc.org) is one of Columbus, Ohio's largest hunger assistance service providers. Neighborhood Services, Inc. also provides gently-used clothing for infants and children under 12 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you are a resident of Franklin County, you can visit the Children's Clothing Room once a month. Bring your photo ID, proof of address and your child's proof of identification, such as a birth certificate, medical record or Social Security card.
Women's Clinics
The Women's Clinic of Columbus (twccolumbusonline.com) is a medical clinic that offers women free pregnancy services and education. You can receive free baby items, such as diapers, clothes, toys and formula, if you are enrolled in the Women's Clinic “Earn While You Learn” program. The program also offers baby and parenting classes. You can obtain free new or gently used maternity and baby clothes from the Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (pdhc.org). Call the PDHC office at (614) 888-8774 to inquire about free baby supplies.
International Associations
The Young Women's Christian Association of Columbus (YWCA) (ywcacolumbus.org) provides support for families, including baby clothing and baby accessories for those in need. The Salvation Army in Greater Columbus (salvationarmycolumbus.org) offers families assistance with housing, food and material goods such as furniture and clothing. Visit The Salvation Army in Greater Columbus website to locate a case worker in your area who can be of service and help you obtain baby items.
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Writer Bio
Julia Drake has been writing since 2007 when she had her first article published in “The Beltane Papers.” She received her Bachelor of Arts in women studies from the University of Washington. She recently completed her Master of Arts in women’s spirituality at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.