Emily Adams is the deputy editor for St. Louis Magazine and curates the Family and Wellness newsletters.

August 10, 2026 at 10:43 AM

For volunteer Kaitlyn Gresham, it started with a single diaper delivery. She responded to a request to bring supplies to a pregnant mother who couldn’t easily leave her home. “It was an easy thing to jump in and do,” Gresham says.

It quickly grew well beyond a single delivery, and a much larger effort took shape. Volunteers collected diapers, formula, and baby clothes; organized a community-wide, virtual baby shower; and assembled care packages for the three expectant mothers who’s spouse had been detained.

Gresham recognizes that immigration remains one of the country’s most debated issues, but her hope is that people also take time to understand the day-to-day realities facing local families affected by detention. “I just encourage people to ask deeper questions,” she says. “Learn the context behind these issues.”