FAQ

Baskets of Love can be delivered in-person across the Lower Mainland, in the Greater Victoria area, Central Vancouver Island and in the East Kootenays. With the generous help of the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation, we are able to mail baskets throughout the remainder of British Columbia, Canada. We are not able to deliver baskets outside of British Columbia, Canada.

No! Every Basket of Love is 100% free to a new family with a baby born with Down syndrome and made possible through generous donations from the community and local small shops and businesses.

If you have received a prenatal diagnosis and are expecting a baby with Down syndrome or have recently welcomed a baby born with Down syndrome in British Columbia Canada, we would love to deliver a Basket of Love to you. We deliver baskets to NICUs, social workers, midwives, maternity clinics, community health workers and public health nurses. We also deliver directly to new families that reach out to us independently. We often hear of new babies from friends or families of loved ones that have or will welcome a baby born with Down syndrome and we love to work with them to help support the new family and deliver a Basket of Love. Our welcome gifts are catered for newborns to approximately six months of age.

Yes! We know of a few organizations outside of British Columbia that help welcome new families with a baby born with Down syndrome. Adele's Over the Rainbow Baskets in Alberta, Canada. The Lucky Few Baskets in Saskatchewan, Canada. Jack's Baskets across the USA. Rising Kites across the USA. Brittany's Baskets of Hope across the USA. Beau's Baskets in Hayden, Idaho USA. The Perfect Gift in Dublin, Ireland. If you are an organization that delivers a gift basket to new families of a baby born with Down syndrome and do not see your organization listed here, please let us know! We'd love to help spread the word.

If you are located in British Columbia, Canada and would like to become part of the Baskets of Love Army, we would love to hear from you! We invite you to read our Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy on our Volunteer page and get in touch with us. Baskets of Love is committed to supporting the diverse community it serves. In doing so, we commit to respect and support each new family regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or mental or physical disability.

In early 2014 I realized I wanted to make a difference in how new families of a baby born with Down syndrome started their journey. It sat on my heart for many months and I really took the time to think about if this was something I wanted to do. I reached out to Krista at Adele's Over the Rainbow Baskets to ask for advice, mentorship and to understand what it takes to start something like this. All I can offer is my own experience here in British Columbia, Canada. Every hospital, health authority and province will be different. Understand that the poilcies and regulations surrounding privacy and access to new families will vary. Start with making a list of what you want to include in the baskets. This will give you an idea of the approximate cost of each basket. Raise money and ask for donations. I started a GoFundMe page and sent it to all of my family and friends to help get me started. Create an online platform so that people can find out more information about what you are doing and access to any GoFundMe pages or Amazon WishLists. Social media accounts are a great way to start. Contact local business and small shops to ask for donations of items. Do you know people that are crafty or like to sew/knit? Reach out and ask for help making items. Contact your local Down syndrome organizations and support groups in your area and let them know what you're doing. Ask them to spread the word that you would like to help welcome new families. Ask them to contact you if they hear of a new family. Introduce yourself to your hospital’s social workers as they are the ones that are often in first contact with a family after a diagnosis. Be prepared to answer questions about what will be in the baskets and how they can reach you. Emphasize privacy as you want to respect the privacy of the new family so you do not ask or need any information about them. Try to understand the rules and regulations of each medical organization to help you better understand what would be required of you in order for them to feel comfortable reaching out to you. It will take time as the word spreads and as you build a following. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need help spreading the word or have questions.