501(c)(3) nonprofit · Boise, Idaho
Hope, hand-deliveredto NICU moms in Boise & the Treasure Valley
We fill care baskets with comfort, essentials, and encouragement for mothers whose babies are in the NICU — so every NICU mom knows her community is with her.
Who we are
Two sisters, one little boy, and a promise to NICU moms
We’re Tiffany and Alyssa Higbee. When Alyssa’s son Maverick was born and admitted to the NICU, the small gestures — a snack during a long shift, a warm blanket, a note that said you are not alone — carried our family through months in the NICU and PICU.
Helping Hands for NICU Moms is how we pass that comfort on: hand-built care baskets delivered to mothers at Treasure Valley hospitals while their babies are in neonatal intensive care.
We cannot take away the fear. We cannot change a diagnosis. But we can show up.
As seen on Idaho News 6
See the Heart Behind Our Mission
Idaho News 6 followed along as Helping Hands for NICU Moms grew from two sisters into a nonprofit partnering with local businesses to bring Mother’s Day baskets to NICU moms across Idaho.
Watch on YouTube · 2:07 (opens in a new tab)Local Non-Profit Fills Mother’s Day Baskets for NICU Moms Across IdahoIdaho News 6 · 2:07 · opens YouTube in a new tabHow you can take part
Three ways to help a NICU mom today
Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction
Saturday, January 30, 2027 · 6:00–10:00 p.m. · Center at the Park, Meridian · $40 individual or $75 for a couple
How it works
The journey of a basket
From a donation drive to a NICU mom’s hands — here’s what your gift becomes.
01 · Collect
Neighbors and local businesses give
Families, friends, and Treasure Valley businesses donate comfort items, baby essentials, gift cards, and funds.
01 · Collect
Neighbors and local businesses give
Families, friends, and Treasure Valley businesses donate comfort items, baby essentials, gift cards, and funds.
02 · Assemble
Every basket is built by hand
Each blanket folded, each gift card tucked in, each note written with intention — chosen with both mom and baby in mind.
03 · Deliver
We bring them to local hospitals
Finished baskets go to NICU moms during their stay — right in the middle of the long days at the bedside.
04 · Hope
A NICU mom feels seen
It can’t change a diagnosis. But it can bring a moment of comfort, and remind her that she is not alone.
Fill a basket
Inside a basket
Chosen with both mom and baby in mind
For mom
- •Soft blankets & cozy socks
- •Self-care & toiletries
- •Snacks & drinks
- •Journals & pens
- •Meal & coffee gift cards
For baby
- •Soft blankets & swaddles
- •Preemie & newborn clothing
- •Sealed pacifiers
- •Small essentials
- •A handwritten note for mom
Every item is intentionally chosen to provide comfort, encouragement, and practical support. See our wish list.
Why it matters
About 1 in 10 Idaho babies starts life in a NICU.
- of Idaho babies were admitted to a NICU in 2023 (CDC/NCHS)
10.5%
of Idaho babies were admitted to a NICU in 2023 (CDC/NCHS)
- baskets delivered in our first year — built by two sisters
~30
baskets delivered in our first year — built by two sisters
- baskets is our goal for NICU moms this Mother’s Day 2027
75
baskets is our goal for NICU moms this Mother’s Day 2027
Ways to help
There’s a place for everyone in this
With gratitude
The businesses behind the baskets
Local and national companies donate the blankets, meals, auction items, and funds that make every basket possible.
For NICU families
Is your baby in a Boise-area NICU? Start here.
Plain-English guides, local hospitals, and Idaho support programs — the things we wish every family had on day one.
In the NICU
What to expect in the NICU
Your baby was just admitted to the NICU. What the room, the monitors, the care team, and the daily routine look like — and how parents can be part of their baby’s care.
In the NICU
NICU glossary
Apnea, brady, CPAP, gavage, PICC, bili lights — the words you hear in the NICU, explained simply so you can follow along at your baby’s bedside.
In the NICU
Pumping for a NICU baby
How to start and keep up your milk supply when your baby is in the NICU — when to start pumping, how often, labeling and storage, and where Idaho moms can find support.
Going home
Corrected age calculator
Calculate your premature baby’s corrected (adjusted) age from their birth date and due date, and learn when pediatricians use corrected age for milestones.
Going home
Bringing your NICU baby home
What usually needs to happen before NICU discharge — from the car seat test to safe sleep and follow-up appointments — plus a checklist for your first weeks at home.
For family & friends
How to help a friend in the NICU
Specific, practical ways to support a family whose baby is in the NICU — from meals and rides to what to say — with Boise-area resources to share.
Every basket tells a mom she is not alone.
Your gift helps fill care baskets with comfort items, essentials, and encouragement for local NICU moms.