Grab A Pastry While Dropping Off A Baby Carrier For Refugee Families At Clementine Bakery

BY HEATHER CHIN AND DONNY LEVIT

While baby carriers are relatively common in our neighborhoods, refugees fleeing violence from the civil war in Syria are lacking basic necessities when needing to walk great distances with their children. That is why local businesses such as our very own Clementine Bakery (299 Greene Avenue) are joining Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams in collecting baby carriers for refugee families.

“We’re just a very family-oriented bakery,” explained Clementine’s general manager, Samantha Darya. Owner Michelle Barton agreed, adding that “Clementine and family would like to offer any support we can to the refugees. From our family to yours, we extend our hands. We will be accepting carriers during business hours seven days a week.”

Neighbors are asked to donate new or gently-used, soft-structured baby carriers (with clasps/harnesses — not wraps or slings). All donated baby carriers will go to international non-profit Carry the Future, Inc., which ensures that refugees are able to travel as closely and safely as possible.

For Adams, the inspiration to take action came after his December 2015 trip to a site located in Turkey nearby the Syrian border, where he witnessed the daily sufferings taking place in refugee camps. Now, he has teamed up with small business owners throughout Brooklyn to launch a collection drive for baby carriers, which provide a safe and comfortable way to carry infants and toddlers.

Bed-Stuy baby products retailer Delta Children is also participating, as they have for BP Adams’ previous baby crib collection and lactation station furnishings.

Along with Brooklyn Borough Hall (209 Joralemon Street) and Clementine Bakery, five other local businesses will collect carriers through Friday, March 4, 2016 (although Clementine will be holding the donation drive for longer).

“We change the sign once a week and have had it up since November,” Darya added. “We’ve had a few people drop stuff in and modest traffic. We will be collecting for as long as we can! Michelle and all of us are really excited to be a part of it. We love being a part of the community and helping in any way we can.”

Local drop-off businesses include:

Clementine Bakery, 299 Greene Avenue (Clinton Hill)

You may also drop off at these other businesses throughout Brooklyn:

Lulu’s Then and Now, 187 Fourth Avenue (Park Slope)

Brooklyn Farmacy, 513 Henry Street (Carroll Gardens)

Copy Cottage, 249 Smith Street (Cobble Hill)

Baby/Mama, 9002 Third Avenue (Bay Ridge)

Volunteers from Carry the Future, Inc., will then fit families in Greece with the carriers.

The civil war in Syria has killed over 250,000 people and has displaced another four million people in camps throughout the region.