The Alternative Press

A group of seniors from Kearny who have hand sewn, knit or crocheted numerous items for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) babies at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ) recently made another of their weekly donations. 

“For several years now this remarkable group of seniors has been making regular donations of beautifully handmade items for our NICU patients,” says John A. Brennan, MD, MPH, President and CEO, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC) and CHoNJ. ““Their efforts to keep our newborns warm and protected are appreciated by all the families and staff at The Beth.” 

The Arts and Crafts of Kearny group, which is located at the Senior Center, has made hundreds of hats, and numerous baby blankets, lap robes, booties and stuffed animals, all of which have been donated to the NICU.  

The group, who originally sold handmade items at an annual crafts festival, was searching for a new creative outlet. Lucy Soriano, a member of the Arts and Crafts group, said that her son, Anthony, who is Senior Vice President of Contracting and Payer Relations for the Barnabas Health, suggested the group of talented women consider creating handmade items for babies at NBIMC.  They have made weekly donations ever since. Mrs. Soriano’s daughter, Mary Soriano, volunteers in the NICU each week by helping to hold the babies, and also hand delivers the items from her mother’s Kearny group.