LIBERTY, Maine — Jen Gunderman of Liberty is a busy working mom whose job as a professor at the University of New England in Biddeford means she is on the road a lot.
But that hasn’t stopped Gunderman, an epidemiologist by training, from wanting to do something to help the refugees from Syria and other troubled nations. This month, that desire will bring her to Greece, where she will help hand deliver about 1,000 baby and child carriers to refugee families with California-based nonprofit organization Carry the Future.
“I’ve always told my kids if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem,” she said, adding that when she learned of the work Carry the Future was doing it resonated with her. “I thought, I can do this.”
Gunderman and an all-volunteer team of women — dubbed the “Super Jedi Mamas” — will go to mainland Greece, where they will meet the ferries coming from the island of Lesbos and carrying refugees.
“When they’re coming off the boats, they’re coming carrying their kids in their arms,” she said. “And that’s just the start of their journey.”
The goal of Carry the Future is to provide and fit refugees with the baby and child carriers so they can have an easier and safer journey to their asylum destination. A California mother started the nonprofit organization after seeing news reports of the plight of refugees and realized this was one way to lighten their load. Volunteers such as Gunderman also stuff the pockets of the carriers with small items, such as hats, mittens, granola bars and socks.
While she has largely had positive feedback for her efforts, she has heard from a few people who ask why she is not helping people in the United States.
“I do help locally — but also, we’re just one world,” Gunderman said. “Here in the United States we have all the resources we need, but the allocation is screwed up. The bottom line for me is not who gives what to whom but rather it is a human rights issue. I don’t want kids to go to sleep worrying about bombs being dropped. We have no understanding of what it is like. All of this is happening a plane ride away. This isn’t Mars.”
Gunderman, whose trip to Greece will begin Monday, Feb. 8, and last until Wednesday, Feb. 17, said Carry the Future will continue to collect soft-structured carriers such as Ergobaby, Manduca, Boba, Baby Bjorn and MobyGo. To find a drop-off site, contact Gunderman at jgundermanking@gmail.com. Donations also can be made via the website at carrythefuture.org.