At Children’s Minnesota, we celebrate the cultures and traditions of all the patients and families we serve. One way we do this is by working with community partners like the Native American Community Clinic (NACC).
The Collective for Community Health has partnered with NACC on its First Gift program making baby moccasins for expecting parents. Red Lake Nation and NACC clients made the moccasins at classes over the last several months. On Saturday, April 13, more than 30 pairs of moccasins were given out at NACC’s annual Community Baby Shower.
“It’s been wonderful to work with Children’s Minnesota and Red Lake Nation to provide a weekly class on moccasin making. Our volunteers shared many laughs and poured love into creating moccasins for our future generation! We look forward to continuing this partnership and offering First Gift this fall,” said Ashlee Jallen, MBA, Traditional Healing Program manager at NACC.
Melissa Markfort, practice manager in the neonatology program at Children’s Minnesota, took part in the baby shower.
“We are grateful to have had the opportunity to support NACC’s community grassroots initiatives to preserve and uphold cultural values,” said Melissa. “Witnessing the distribution and heartfelt reception of the moccasins was humbling and rewarding. I am deeply touched and proud of our organization and teams for their compassionate efforts.”
Melissa and Shukri Jumale, manager of the Midwest Fetal Care Center, a collaboration between Allina Health and Children’s Minnesota, took their support of the baby shower one step further. They joined together to organize a diaper drive which received donations from employees across Children’s Minnesota and Allina.
First Gift classes at NACC will resume in September for the 2025 Community Baby Shower.
