Donations will be accepted at the Frankenmuth Credit Union location in Bad Ax.

PJ's for Preemies has collected pajamas, baby sheets, socks and other items for 3-month-old babies for 11 consecutive years.

With the assistance of Frankenmuth Credit Union, the drive will receive donations in certain branches until January 31, 2022.

The movement began 11 years ago, when Christi Bauman gave birth to her son prematurely—seven and a half weeks earlier. He weighs 4 pounds and 3 ounces, and the only thing the hospital asks him to wear is a jumpsuit designed for a 3-month-old baby, which is too big for a baby of his size.

After that, Bowman thought that this might be a problem that no one could solve, because the hospital completely relied on donations to buy all kinds of clothes, including diapers.

"Everyone there knows someone, or has experienced it firsthand, they have given birth in the (intensive care unit)," she said.

She was talking to her employer at the time, and they agreed to help sponsor a drive for a premature baby's pajamas. Her current employer, Garber Automotive, is also a useful partner in advancing this process.

All donations will be donated to the neonatal intensive care unit of Saginaw Covenant Hospital, which is the northernmost intensive care unit of its kind in Michigan. It is estimated that 800 to 900 babies enter the neonatal intensive care unit each year.

"Any baby born in northern Saginaw will be taken to Saginaw," Bowman explained.

Initially, Bowman performed the operation entirely on her own. However, about six years ago, she met Danielle Socier, who became her partner.

Socier and Bauman have similar experiences, having given birth to triplets at 33 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit 9 years ago. Instead of receiving gifts from friends, her children received clothing for premature babies to be sent to the neonatal intensive care unit.

"My children have always been outstanding," she said. "They gave up getting birthday gifts. It's also neat to watch them; when the packages enter the mail, they take turns opening them."

Socier and Bauman have been working together until last year Frankenmuth Credit Union started to provide them with some donation locations. This will be the second year that credit unions provide help.

Bowman is always very grateful to those who donate every year.

"You don't know what this means to the parents of any baby in the NICU," she said. "This is the huge generosity of the community."

According to Jenny Bickle of the credit union marketing department, they hope to receive 2,500 donations this year. They will collect from their Bad Ax and Caro locations and eight other locations, mainly in the Saginaw area.

More information can be found on www.pjsforpreemies.com for the location and details of the donated items.