United Way of Northern Utah holds baby race celebrating family support program
-
- A baby race sponsored by the United Way of Northern Utah occurred at Ogden’s Liberty Park on Friday, May 30, 2025.
-
- Toddlers and their parents line up during a baby race event sponsored by the United Way of Northern Utah at Ogden’s Liberty Park on Friday, May 30, 2025.
OGDEN — Dozens of babies, toddlers and their parents participated in a pair of baby race events sponsored by the United Way of Northern Utah, or UWNU, in Ogden and Logan on Friday morning. The first-of-their-kind races served to celebrate recent fundraising efforts benefiting the organization’s Welcome Baby program.
And while many of the babies struggled to find their way to the finish line, everyone was a winner in the end.
Now in its 11th year, the Welcome Baby program brings essential supplies, educational material and support to families with children from newborns to age 3 across Northern Utah. Through monthly home visits, trained volunteers deliver educational kits created in partnership with Weber State University, along with items like diapers, wipes, clothing, car seats and more.
The program receives baby supplies as in-kind donations from members of the community.
“(Volunteers) bring these kits and this curriculum into the home of the family, and they just help them to see if their children are meeting their developmental milestones,” UWNU Public Relations and Marketing Director Amandi Goodwin-Garstka told the Standard-Examiner prior to the race at Ogden’s Liberty Park. “The parent knows what’s best, but it’s just a tool for them to use.”
Meanwhile, UWNU Director of Resource Development Mandi Schill noted that any family with children in the appropriate age group is eligible to participate, regardless of their circumstances.
“There are no income requirements,” Schill told the Standard-Examiner. “77% of families in the program are low to moderate income and a lot of them don’t qualify for other resources. So, it definitely fills a big gap for families who maybe don’t qualify for early intervention or other programs.”
Approximately 170 families benefited from the program within the United Way of Northern Utah’s service area, which includes Weber, Box Elder, Morgan, Rich and Cache counties. That number increases to roughly 270 when Davis and Salt Lake counties are included in the tally.
Friday’s races followed a digital fundraising campaign where community leaders and program advocates raised money to help virtual baby racers reach the finish line. Dollar-for-dollar matching funds were also provided for the program through a grant from the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation.
The grant came at a critical time, helping to offset the impact on the program of recent federal-level cuts.
“We’re having an actual baby race because of this match and to help this program continue impacting lives of families so that they can thrive,” Goodwin-Garstka said. “Because when parents thrive, children flourish. And that’s what we want in our community.”
Participants in Friday’s races received minky blankets and children’s books. Attendees were also offered ice cream snacks and invited to donate cash or supplies to the program.
UWNU is currently seeking additional volunteers for the Welcome Baby program. Those interested in volunteering can find more information online at https://uwnu.org/.
