{"id":146480,"date":"2026-02-26T20:07:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T20:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/146480\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T20:07:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T20:07:25","slug":"bp-reynoso-awards-first-round-of-community-baby-shower-fund-grants-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/146480\/","title":{"rendered":"BP Reynoso awards first round of Community Baby Shower Fund grants \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Baby\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Through Borough President Antonio Reynoso\u2019s Community Baby Shower Fund, Brooklyn\u2019s new and expecting parents have access to a multitude of community resources. <\/p>\n

Photos courtesy of Rewrite Corporation & MABCBK<\/p>\n

Borough President Antonio Reynoso has announced the first seven recipients of funding from his second annual Community Baby Shower Fund<\/a>, directing resources to neighborhood-based organizations supporting new and expecting parents across Brooklyn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Launched in August 2024 and renewed in July 2025, the initiative dedicates $50,000 in discretionary funding each year to help nonprofits host community baby showers in neighborhoods with historically high maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Each selected organization can receive up to $5,000 in matching funds, distributed on a reimbursement basis, for events taking place before May 31, 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Community baby showers, organized by local groups, provide families with essential supplies such as diapers, wipes, blankets and breast pumps, while also connecting parents to city agencies and local organizations offering ongoing support.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"babyThe community baby showers offer parents key postnatal supplies, like baby wipes and breast pumps.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrooklynites thrive when their community shows up for them, and pregnancy and early parenthood are no different,\u201d Reynoso said in a statement. \u201cCommunity baby showers are so impactful because, beyond distributing essential baby supplies, they foster support networks that parents can lean on, right in their own neighborhoods.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s awardees include:\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Brownsville Community Center, serving Brownsville
\nHolding Hands Ministries, serving Coney Island
\nKiwanis Kings Plaza & Canarsie, serving Canarsie
\nLife Equip Group, serving East New York and Brownsville
\nNew Neighbors Partnership Association, serving Flatbush and Midwood
\nNuestros Ni\u00f1os Daycare Center, serving Williamsburg
\nPublic Housing Community Fund, serving Bed-Stuy<\/p>\n

The fund is part of Reynoso\u2019s broader maternal health agenda. Over the past two decades, Black women in New York City were on average eight<\/a> times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts. Since taking office in Jan. 2021, Reynoso has focused significant<\/a> resources on addressing that disparity. In his first year, he allocated his entire $45 million capital budget to Brooklyn\u2019s three public hospitals for maternal health improvements.<\/p>\n

\"babyAwarded grant total $5,000. Applications are still open on a rolling basis until funds are totaled.Photo courtesy of Rewrite Corporation & MABCBK<\/p>\n

Brownsville Community Culinary Center<\/a> Executive Director Alexis Aquino said that the support \u201cnourishes and empowers\u201d local families.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt BCCC, we believe that food, education, and community connection are essential foundations for new and expecting parents,\u201d she said. \u201cThis funding allows us to expand access to nutritious meals, wellness resources, and supportive programming that help Brooklyn families thrive from the very beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"babyAn expectant mother at a community baby shower receives a stroller.Photo courtesy of Rewrite Corporation & MABCBK<\/p>\n

Nuestros Ni\u00f1os<\/a> Executive Director Ingrid Chungata added that the program uplifts new and expecting parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cReceiving support from the Borough President\u2019s Community Baby Shower Fund allows Nuestros Ni\u00f1os Daycare Center to continue uplifting new and expecting parents by providing essential resources during a critical moment in their lives. Community baby showers not only help meet immediate needs but also strengthen trust, connection and dignity for families navigating early parenthood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BabyThe grants have been able to provide significant community showers, from Bed-Stuy to Coney Island.Photo courtesy of Rewrite Corporation & MABCBK<\/p>\n

The Community Baby Shower Fund is still accepting applications on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eligible applicants must:\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Hold current 501(c) (3) status
\nMatch the requested funding amount, whether through internal funds or in-kind sponsorship
\nHave a history of service in at least one target neighborhood
\nHave experience serving prenatal and postnatal\/postpartum individuals and their families
\nHave experience organizing community baby showers or similar events
\nHost their event between July 21. 2025 and May 31, 2026<\/p>\n

Priority neighborhoods include Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Bushwick, Canarsie, Coney Island, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, East New York, Flatbush\/Midwood and Sunset Park.<\/p>\n

For more information on Community Baby Shower Fund, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Through Borough President Antonio Reynoso\u2019s Community Baby Shower Fund, Brooklyn\u2019s new and expecting parents have access to a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":146481,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[2898,61389,61390,98,9788,26952,100,99,29331,4673,61391,61392,61393,47192,29757,61394,9,24,63,6222],"class_list":{"0":"post-146480","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-brooklyn","8":"tag-antonio-reynoso","9":"tag-bed-stuy-brooklyn","10":"tag-black-maternal-health","11":"tag-brooklyn","12":"tag-brooklyn-borough-president","13":"tag-brooklyn-community-news","14":"tag-brooklyn-headlines","15":"tag-brooklyn-news","16":"tag-brooklyn-nonprofits","17":"tag-brownsville-brooklyn","18":"tag-canarsie-brooklyn","19":"tag-community-baby-shower-fund","20":"tag-coney-island-brooklyn","21":"tag-east-new-york-brooklyn","22":"tag-flatbush-brooklyn","23":"tag-maternal-health-brooklyn","24":"tag-new-york","25":"tag-new-york-city","26":"tag-nyc","27":"tag-williamsburg-brooklyn"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}