2025 Mother’s Day Outreach
Dear NICU Mama’s Annual Mother’s Day Outreach
4,733 Cards. 34 States. One Powerful Movement. This past Mother’s Day, your generosity fueled something extraordinary.
Because of your donations, time, and heart, we sent 4,733 personalized cards of love, hope, and encouragement to NICU moms in 34 states! Each one a reminder that even in the hardest, most isolating moments, these moms are not alone.
100 NICU Mama volunteers came together to write, assemble, and deliver cards to the hospitals they once called home.
The impact was profound:
"It felt very cathartic to write messages of hope to mama’s going through what I went through, when I felt no hope. I cried filling out, dropping off, through every step, but in a good way."
"Delivering the cards and cheering up fellow NICU moms surely helped me in a major way. It was a way for me to express the love and support I longed for during my journey."
"I loved being able to provide a moment of recognition for fellow NICU moms... I knew receiving something like this when we were in the NICU would have been so meaningful."
This is what happens when a community shows up for each other and for the next NICU mama on the path. 💕
Thank you for being part of this movement. Whether you gave, assembled, wrote, delivered, or shared—you helped bring hope to hospital rooms across the country. And together, we’re reminding every NICU mom that she is seen, supported, and never ever alone!
February Highlights Wrapped in Love
February impact coming in strong! From Giving Hearts Day to Valentine's Day outreach and in-person support groups, February was month was full of meaningful connection and community. Our sisterhood showed up in big and small ways and it was a beautiful month!
In February, our Letter of Hope prompt was: "Dear NICU Mama, I see how much courage it took to...". One NICU mama wrote: "But whatever the future holds, I know it holds your continued growth into the best possible mother for your beloved child. That growth never ends, no matter how your NICU story concludes. Your courage will shine through you for the rest of your days.”
This February, we were honored to be part of Giving Hearts Day, a powerful day of giving across our region. With the help of our incredible community, we raised essential funds to continue providing free support and resources for NICU moms and families! From volunteer ambassadors to every donor who showed up with heart, we are so grateful. This day reminded us just how strong and generous our community truly is!
For Valentine's Day, we created a free printable cards set for NICU moms to download and share with their local NICUs. Whether dropping off notes of encouragement or spreading a little love to fellow NICU parents, this printable was a simple way for our community to connect and give back during a tender holiday!
In February, our social media content focused on how relationships shift, grow, and evolve during and after a NICU journey—while also encouraging self-love and compassion as part of the lifelong healing process.
Lastly, we kicked off the year by hosting two in-peron support groups for our local Fargo, ND hospitals over the Valentine's Day holiday. A huge thank you to our community who made this possible with donations of coffee, donuts, and appetizers!
Thank you so much for making February such a memorable month!
With so much gratitude,
Ashley Ham,
Executive Director of Dear NICU Mama
Kicking Off 2025: Highlights from January
As we began putting together a recap of Dear NICU Mama's first quarter of 2025, we quickly realized there was too much goodness to squeeze into just one update. So we're sharing the impact month by month—starting with January!
From our first virtual support groups of the year to letters of hope, the onboarding of new board members, January was a beautiful reminder of why this community exists. It was also a meaningful month of rest and reflection for our executive team, giving us space to recharge and dream after the busyness of the holiday season!
Take a peek at what you helped make possible, then keep an eye out for February's recap coming soon!
In January, our Letter of Hope prompt was: "Dear NICU Mama, as I look back on 2024, I see a mama who..." One NICU mama wrote: "There may be days you feel immeasurable guilt or that your body has failed you in some capacity. Just know that your body didn't fail you." These powerful words resonated deeply within our community, offering comfort and solidarity to fellow NICU mothers.
We are thrilled to onboard Tyler Loch to our Board of Directors! With a decade of experience in the financial services industry, Tyler specializes in guiding clients toward their financial goals. Tyler's personal connection to the NICU community—stemming from his family's six-month journey with their son—fuels his passion for supporting NICU mothers. We are honored to have him join our mission to uplift and empower NICU mamas everywhere.
Through our social media platforms, we curated content in January addressing how New Year's resolutions can differ for NICU families, the importance of prioritizing mental health, and honoring our individual motherhood journeys.
We kicked off the year by hosting two virtual support groups at both afternoon and evening times to accommodate NICU mothers across various time zones and life stages. This scheduling flexibility allowed more mothers to connect, share experiences, and find solace within our community, regardless of their geographical location or daily commitments!
Thank you so much for making January such a memorable month!
With so much gratitude,
Ashley Ham,
Executive Director of Dear NICU Mama
Celebrate Courage 2024
Dear NICU Mama’s Annual Fundraising Gala
On September 4th, we gathered together for our annual Celebrate Courage event, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the incredible support from our community of donors, sponsors, and NICU families. The evening was a beautiful celebration of the strength and resilience of NICU families, and it’s thanks to your generosity that we were able to bring this vision to life!
