INDIANAPOLIS — As a nurse practitioner in the neonatal ICU at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, Emily Anderson helps babies every day at her job. Now, she and her coworkers are helping Afghan babies and children who are living at Camp Atterbury.
Once she was introduced to Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organization, she took her family shopping and brought a donation to Camp Atterbury. There, she heard about the need for formula.
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"I had no idea, and I know people who like to take care of babies, and I just was kind of at the right place and knew the right people," Anderson said.
Anderson says less than 30 people came together in a week to raise more than $1,300 worth of infant formula, diapers and other baby supplies. Anderson and another NICU nurse, Rachel Irrgang, used the monetary donations to buy more supplies and delivered them.
"[The response] has really honestly been overwhelming ... we had a goal at the beginning of $300," Anderson said. "The money just kept coming in and coming in ... just seeing everybody come together and care as much as they did has been really inspiring."
Director of Veteran Affairs Matt Hall says on average, one baby is born at Camp Atterbury every dayand a total of more than 6,000 Afghan refugees are there. Anderson, Irrgang and Ascension St. Vincent want to draw attention to the need for formula and diapers for the refugee children.
"Babies eat every three hours and they need a diaper change eight times a day, so the need is right now," Anderson said. "When we were there, the PR coordinator for Camp Atterbury just happened to be driving by ... he was like 'we go through 7,000 diapers a day.'"
After the success of the first drive, Anderson started an encore drive. She and others will go shopping Wednesday for the second round of donations.
Anderson is encouraging anyone who wants to donate to get in touch with Team Rubicon or bring items to one of the National Guard armory locations around the state. Hall adds that Camp Atterbury appreciates all of the winter coat donations for children, but they need more coats for adults, as well as socks, boots and baby supplies.
