For most teenagers, community service entails finding an organization in need, signing up for a shift, helping out for a couple of hours and then leaving. Senior Makenzie Stuard, however, has taken volunteer work to a whole new level by helping to run a nonprofit with her older sister and founder, Whitney Stuard. The organization, called Cradled With Love, produces and donates baby wraps.

“My sister Whitney, a student in the University of Texas (UT) Pact program, started the nonprofit after completing a rotation down at Parkland,” Makenzie said. “After seeing the need for baby wraps in the clinics, she found a way to make them in a cost-effective manner.”

Whitney had discovered that these baby wraps, which may cost up to $200 at a store, could be created for as little as $15. Compared with the relatively low cost of production, the benefits of these wraps are quite big.

“The wraps allow mothers to cradle their children to their chest, which promotes bonding,” Makenzie said. “These are an amazing product because they keep children close to their mother’s skin, which strengthens their connection after birth. They even allow mothers to go back to work without having to leave their child.”

In addition to strengthening the mother/child bond, these wraps can also improve the health of newborn babies.

“Baby wraps such as these have been shown to reduce crying, increase a baby’s healthy eating and promote better spinal growth,” Makenzie said. “These benefits of these wraps should be available to all mothers.”

With that objective in mind, the sisters set out to form an organization that would make their goal a reality. While Whitney had taken the lead in founding the charity by filling out paperwork, raising funds and finding volunteers, Makenzie took the initiative to help the organization branch out and expand.

“I began to help build the nonprofit in numerous high school organizations throughout Plano,” Makenzie said. “I work with local National Honor Societies at Shepton, Plano East, Plano Senior and Plano West. I also instruct National Charity League (NCL) chapters on how to make the baby wraps.”

She has also spent hours creating brochures and posters for different schools and clinics to raise awareness of Cradled With Love’s goals.

“Over the past year, it has been a thrill to have my sister help me begin this nonprofit,” Whitney said. “It is great to have such a creative and energetic person on the team. My sister has been a great help raising funds and awareness about the nonprofit. She has been able to come up with some very creative ideas that have helped people get excited for the project.”

For example, Makenzie does not just limit herself to creating pamphlets and flyers. She has gone so far as to meet and talk to complete strangers and educate them on the importance of fostering a strong relationship between a parent and child.

“She reaches out to everyone,” Makenzie’s mother, Deanne Lee, said. “She took care of a toddler on a plane once, and the mother was so grateful that she donated $100 to Cradled With Love. She had learned about the nonprofit from Makenzie on the plane.”

Donations like the one Makenzie received on the plane and partnerships with a variety of organizations have helped the charity grow larger. The nonprofit’s growth has allowed it to have an impact on hundreds of mothers.

“We work with the Bluebonnet chapter of NCL, the North Dallas chapter of NCL, the Plano Quilters Guild and numerous others,” Makenzie said. “Cradled With Love has had over $1,200 dedicated to its website. Parents understand the need to form a bond with their children and many people in the surrounding neighborhoods have donated supplies to the organization. Over 300 wraps have already been donated to the clinics in Dallas.”

However, Cradled With Love’s growth did not come easily. Both Makenzie and Whitney faced challenges with running the nonprofit, especially with the added burden of juggling schoolwork and other activities. But now, with the charity’s success, the two sisters are seeing their effort paying off.

“The most rewarding part of it is the fact that mothers and caretakers in need are going to benefit so much from people making these wraps,” Whitney said. “I know this nonprofit is helping and that these wraps affect children and how they are cared for. It gives me a good feeling that the effects of this nonprofit will help for years and years to come.”

As Whitney and Makenzie have worked together and supported each other, their sisterly relationship has grown stronger. When Whitney left for Spain at the beginning of this semester to study abroad, Makenzie helped out by taking on a bigger role.

“My sister has been very encouraging and is always willing to lend a hand when things get busy,” Whitney said. “I really enjoy having her around for support and overall, I love knowing I have someone to keep me going and to always be there when I need help.”

Although the added workload of running Cradled With Love without her sister might seem like a burden, Makenzie saw it as a chance to gain more experience with community service.

“Since my sister is in Spain for the semester, it gives me the opportunity to talk to her daily,” Makenzie said. “I have learned so much from her, not just about dedication, but also about finding an area of need and providing for it.”

If you would like to volunteer with Cradled With Love or if you are interested in learning more about the nonprofit, visit www.cradledwithlove.weebly.com. To donate to the charity, visit www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/cradled-with-love-/203042. If you would like to learn how to earn hours for National Honor Society by making these baby wraps, email [email protected] for instructions. Making one wrap will earn you one hour for National Honor Society.