Unity Christian Church is preparing to host a City-Wide Baby Shower on October 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., aimed at providing support to families expecting children or raising young ones. The event, organized by newly appointed Pastor TJ Grooms and his congregation, will be held at the church in Alcolu and is expected to draw over 100 families from the community.
“We wanted to do something out of the box and out of the ordinary to help families who are expecting children or have children up to two years old,” said Grooms, who recently took over as pastor eight weeks ago. “I know there’s an economic hardship on a lot of families right now, so we thought, ‘Why not do a baby shower for the entire city?’”
The City-Wide Baby Shower has already reached its initial registration cap of 100 families, with 108 participants signed up. However, Grooms has continued to accept additional applicants.
“I have a hard time telling people no,” Grooms admitted. “We hit that 100 mark in five days, and since then, we’ve had some applicants that really touched my heart. From teenagers as young as 12 having babies to homeless applicants, the stories we’ve heard are mind-blowing. I just knew we had to do whatever we could to help.”
The baby shower is not just about distributing basic baby supplies. While items like diapers, bottles, and baby clothes will be available, the church has gone above and beyond to fulfill wish lists submitted by participants.
“We’re giving out car seats, strollers, bassinets – not just the basics,” said Grooms. “Each family gave us a wish list, and we’re trying to provide some pretty big, expensive things to help alleviate some of the financial burden.”
The event will also serve as a resource hub for parents, with a range of local nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, and educational resources available. Grooms mentioned that the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program will be one of the featured vendors, along with several other local nonprofits.
“We wanted this to be more than just a baby shower,” Grooms explained. “It’s a resource event, too. We’re bringing in organizations from the community that can offer real, ongoing support to these families.”
Grooms, originally from Sumter, recently moved back to South Carolina from Chicago with his wife Quinn and their two daughters to take care of family. He noted that his experience in Chicago, where he often worked in outreach efforts, has shaped his approach to ministry and community service in Alcolu.
“I’m an outreach-driven pastor,” said Grooms. “In Chicago, I did a lot of work with gangs and violence prevention, and I wanted to bring that same spirit of
helping to the community here. I may have left the big city, but the need for support and resources isn’t that different. Poverty and violence are everywhere, and we want to help where we can.”
The upcoming baby shower has also garnered attention from local political figures, including Manning Mayor Julia Nelson and several city council members, who plan to attend the event.
“Mayor Nelson is coming, and we’ve invited a couple of councilmen as well,” Grooms said. “This isn’t about politics, though. It’s about providing a space for leaders to meet their constituents and for the community to connect with those who represent them.”
In addition to the resources and baby supplies, the event promises a festive atmosphere with food, including Jamaican cuisine and grilled dishes, provided for participants.
“We’ve got so much food coming,” Grooms said. “It’s going to be like a big celebration. We want people to feel supported, but also to have fun and enjoy the day.”
Though the registration for participants is now closed, Unity Christian Church is still accepting donations for the event to help meet the needs of the families involved.
“We’re still in need of merchandise,” Grooms said. “We’ve made it about halfway there, but we could use more items. Every little bit helps.”
As Unity Christian Church continues to settle into its new leadership under Grooms, the City-Wide Baby Shower is just the beginning of what he hopes will be a series of events focused on giving back to the community.
“This isn’t a one-off thing,” Grooms said. “We’re going to keep finding ways to be a blessing to the community throughout the year.”
For those interested in donating or learning more about the event, Unity Christian Church can be contacted directly at 803-473-3929.
