BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Community Baby Shower has arrived in Kern County, showcasing the generosity of local residents who are stepping up to support families struggling to make ends meet.
The event represents months of hard work from countless volunteers and donors, all aimed at helping local parents provide for their children. The Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, one of the primary beneficiaries, has served more than 2,000 clients since the start of this year.
"This baby shower is so important to the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center. We serve, just since the start of this year, over 2,000 clients, going through parenting classes, earning points so that they can buy things for their baby, and the things that they buy come from the community baby shower," Erin Rogers said.
Rogers with the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center says donations have enabled them to distribute 70 car seats, 300 supply boxes, and thousands of packs of diapers in the past year alone.
The need is significant. More than 31,500 Kern County families are living at or below the poverty line, according to recent data.
"That's where most of our clients here at the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center are, and when you have limited funds, especially with a lot of the challenges that are happening with SNAP, making decisions on whether you can get food or diapers for your baby, the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center is the organization here in Kern County that helps stand in that gap," Rogers said.
Among those who have benefited from the center's services are Megan and Eric Stiles, who learned they were expecting their son, Aspen, while living on the streets. The pregnancy center helped them get back on their feet, offered parenting classes, and provided essential supplies.
"I mean, we got our changing table from here, we got a swing from here, we got clothes, shoes, shoes that aren't even going to fit him yet for like another year, probably a lot sooner than that, he's a growing boy," Megan and Eric Stiles said.
Rogers anticipates this year's baby shower may be the most successful they have ever seen. Kern County Supervisor Philip Peters donated 28 Pack N Plays to the cause.
However, the center still has urgent needs for diapers, wipes, and baby cleaning supplies.
"So baby shampoo, baby wash, baby towels and wash cloths. All of those things to help keep our babies clean and healthy are the biggest needs that we have," Rogers said.
The baby shower benefits not only the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center but also the Mission at Kern County, nonprofits whose shelves serve thousands of parents every year.
"On behalf of the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center and the Mission at Kern, let me just express our deepest thanks for your support. The donations you made today will help us last for months to come into 2026, and we are extremely grateful," Rogers said.
The Community Baby Shower continues until 7 p.m. on November 20th. Community members are encouraged to stop by and make donations to help make a difference in local families' lives.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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