New home found for Little Things for Little People

The nonprofit group that provides baby and kids’ items to families will be moving to Monessen.

A new chapter is opening for the nonprofit organization Little Things for Little People, as the organizers secured a new location to serve families in the Mon Valley.

The Little Things for Little People program organizers learned in the spring that they had to move out of the First United Methodist Church in Belle Vernon where they had been serving the community. The program gives items to care (such as diapers, wipes and clothes) for children newborn to preschool age. They also give away items available such as baby walkers, bathtubs, strollers, car seats and more.

They were disheartened, but determined to find a new location. Laura Wilson, Little Things program coordinator, said they found a perfect match at His Place Coffee, Community and More in Monessen.

“Look forward to a bigger space, because the space is also about double the size; and we’re hoping to get it painted bright colors,” Wilson said. “So I would tell families that we’re going to have more to offer with our bigger space.

“We can now bring in more items and stuff, because they didn’t want us to bring in the big baby furniture anymore at the Methodist church, but now that we have all this space, we’ll be able to offer families a lot more when they come back in the fall.”

Their last day at the Belle Vernon Methodist Church is June 30. Their new location will be at 100 3rd Street, right next to His Place Coffee, Community and More in Monessen. The program will reopen from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 9.

After their first date at the new location, they will be open every second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

Typically, they are open from September to June, which correlates with how long the school year typically lasts for school kids. Wilson said that last year, from September to December, they served around 700 families.

Their last day at the Methodist church in Belle Vernon was on June 3, and Wilson said they served around 50 people that day. She said that they hope their new location can provide more access to more people in need.

“There are a lot of people in Monessen that can’t come to our program because they don’t have transportation,” Wilson said. “But maybe if we’re right there, and all they gotta do is walk down a couple of streets, they might be able to come. So I think the new location is going to bring more families, hopefully, because I just think the more people we can help, the better.”

Wilson said their new location will be handicap accessible.

Wilson said they always accept donations, including supplies or monetary donations.

“We are always accepting donations for kids’ clothes, and now we’re going to carry all the way up to size six,” Wilson said.

According to Wilson, they receive frequent donations from local organizations like St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, and the Rostraver Woman’s Club. Wilson said they’re actively trying to get their name out there to receive donations.

“I always call us the ‘best kept secret,’ because you say, ‘Hey, do you know little things?’ And they’re like, ‘No.’” Wilson said. “But I think now that we’re becoming more of a staple, other places are reaching out.”

If anyone is interested in donating, they can contact them on their Little Things for Little People Facebook page. She added that at the moment, they are not taking donations of cribs.