Vancouver non-profit helps keep babies warm in the winter

As the chilly weather sets in across Metro Vancouver, one mom says that with inflation and the city’s high cost of living, she’s struggling to provide clothing for her son.

“Our family income, most of it goes to rent, groceries, and some [goes toward] bills and transportation,” mom Rayzel Lorbes said.

“It’s tough because there’s nothing left to allocate for Mavi’s clothing, and other stuff like his toys, the things that he wants,” she added.

Although Lorbes says she receives some support from the family benefit program from the province, it’s not enough to cover all of her bills.

She says that in order to keep her two-year-old son Mavi warm, she ended up keeping him indoors as much as possible to help protect him from getting sick.

Two-year-old Mavi received a new coat from the group BabyGoRound. (Sarah Chew/CityNews)

“I was being torn apart,” she said. “[I was] keeping him at home to make sure that he’s warm and cozy…Because if he’s not properly clothed, I am scared that he’ll get sick, especially with COVID and the flu season.”

But Lorbes says Mavi will be warm this winter, as he received a new winter jacket from a local charity.

Through donations, the non-profit BabyGoRound helps over a thousand families across Vancouver keep their kids warm.

The group gives out winter weather supplies like snow suits, hats, mittens, and boots. Last year, over 6,400 items were given away to help support locals.

“Our mission is to help families in need in Greater Vancouver to safely care for their babies and toddlers by providing them with essential baby gear, such as cribs and strollers, that they might otherwise not be able to access,” the group said on its website.

Millions live in food-insecurity 

But Lorbes isn’t the only one struggling, according to a survey from Statistics Canada.

The 2021 survey shows 5.8 million Canadians, including 1.4 million children, live in food-insecure households.

One expert says although donations are a helpful in meeting people’s needs, the generosity of locals cannot solely fix the problems that stem from income inequality and poverty.

“People should do whatever they can to actually ensure needs are met. I mean, I don’t think there’s any moral doubt about that. But knowing the context, because what it’s really telling you, is that incomes are insufficient, and government funding and support for social agencies…is insufficient,” Graham Riches, emeritus professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Social Work said.

A row of children’s coats. (Sarah Chew/CityNews)

Riches is encouraging families to demand that the government increase benefits, like the tax benefit that Lorbes receives.

“The children in particular have rights because they’re defenceless,” Riches says. “They need protection. And we have an obligation as a society…through our laws and regulations, and government, to enable that.”

BabyGoRound Marketing Manager Alyssa Gibson says that the need for help is also growing.

“We’re seeing more and more families every week. So the need is growing. And with the weather changing so quickly as it’s done this week, we just know that it’s something we have to address.”

“We have to make sure that we’re providing it for families who don’t have another option,” she added.

The organization says it is collecting baby winter gear donations until Dec. 11, that will help support children like Mavi.