HAMPTON, Va. — In December 2017, Jasmine Moore-Mason was expecting her first child. "I went to the OB/GYN. I found out I was having a girl in February," Moore-Mason says.
But at four months pregnant, she knew something was wrong.
"One morning, I woke up and I felt pain," says Moore-Mason. "I didn't know what contractions felt like. So, I thought maybe, you know, it was just a pain that'll go away."
But the pain didn't go away. Moore-Mason was having a miscarriage.
"After that, I was... I was hurt," says Moore-Mason. "I didn't know where to go for help. I didn't know what to do... And for a long time, I couldn't go down baby aisles. I couldn't talk to people who had children. I didn't wanna be around other people that were pregnant."
But as she grieved her loss, Moore-Mason had to take stock of all the baby items she'd collected.
"I had everything in one box," says Moore-Mason. "I didn't really know what to do with the items."
Later, she decided those items could help other moms-to-be. That was the start of the J.Mason Foundation, which provides new and expecting moms with resources and items they need, free of charge.
"I've shipped to 34 states. I've helped over 50 families with items they needed for their newborn," says Moore-Mason.
She says being able to help so many new and expecting moms in need has helped her as well.
"When I saw the reaction from those who received those items, the excitement, the posts, the reviews, I kinda felt a little better about what had happened," says Moore-Mason. "I feel... I guess you can say, liberated by being able to help others."
You can support the J.Mason Foundation through monetary gifts and baby item donations. For more information, visit them on Facebook, email jmasonfoundation@gmail.com, call 804-993-4598, or check out the foundation's website at https://www.jmasonfoundation.org/.
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