Donated wedding dresses into burial gowns for grieving families

The loss of a baby is devastating for parents, so a group of volunteers are working to make sure those families have something beautiful to hang on to. Fox 35 CareForce is honoring the work of some wonderful women who turned donated wedding dresses into then burial gowns for infants whose lives ended too soon. October is Infant Loss Awareness Month, and Fox 35's Amanda McKenzie is joining us live from Ocala with more on these women and what they are doing to do something meaningful for others. Hi, Amanda. Well, for the women you see gathered in this room, the mission is personal. Some have suffered infant loss, struggled with infertility, or have watched someone they know endure that pain. Well, through Angels Above Baby Gowns, they're taking those experiences and turning it into something beautiful, one tiny gown at a time. For most parents, meeting their baby, holding their tiny hands, and counting their fingers is a moment they've dreamed about for months or years. But for families who lose a baby, that first hello may also be their final goodbye. They didn't come in prepared for any of this. Oftentimes it's total shock. Volunteer photographers like Roxanne Baggett help families preserve precious moments with their babies, no matter how brief their time together. But before the camera comes out, there's something else for parents to hold on to, a tiny gown. Those gowns not only provide a keepsake for these families, but they provide that time to be able to dress and be a mom and be a dad and help dress their little one. Behind every one of those tiny gowns made with care is a wedding dress donated by a stranger. In Ocala, the women behind Angels Above Baby Gowns are giving those dresses a second purpose. Fabric once worn on one of the happiest of days is transformed into something that brings comfort on one of the saddest. They're from preemie all the way to full term. Founder Dawn Corey says the inspiration came from a NICU nurse who wanted a stillborn baby to have something beautiful to wear. The nurse went home, cut up her own wedding dress, and sewed a gown for the child. Dawn, a retired fashion designer and seamstress, saw an opportunity to help more families. She started a Facebook page, asked others to join her, and the response was immediate. Within 10 minutes, several of my friends said, well, I'll help you with that. I'll help you with that. And then I made lots of new friends. And then it just grew from there. Donated wedding dresses started pouring in. All the people who donate their dresses are very special to us. First, I photograph them. Then we dismantle them, and then somebody else cuts them into little burial gowns, and then we have people who sew them, add little ribbons to them. Once a week, these retired ladies gather to sew, crochet, and turn layers of satin and lace into tiny gowns. It's a process that takes time and care. Even the smallest scraps have a purpose. Every bit of the dresses, including the lace. This will go to make angel ornaments. Nothing goes to waste. And each finished burial package contains more than just a gown. They get a gown, hats, booties, and a blanket, an angel ornament, and a card and a bracelet for the mother and the baby. The packages are delivered to hundreds of hospitals across the country, so they're there when families need them most. They're all so nice and they're so welcoming when we come. And they contact us if they run low. Since 2014, the nonprofit estimates it has distributed about 30,000 gowns in burial packages. But for the women behind this mission, the reward isn't measured in the numbers. It's in what the work means to them personally. I love it. I couldn't have children, so. It just kind of fills that void. And Dawn isn't alone. I never had children, and to me, it's my way of paying it forward. It makes my heart happy. These women know they can't take away a parent's pain, but with every stitch, they can offer a small measure of comfort and remind a family that even strangers care about their loss. A lot of families have said that they're very grateful for this. A wedding dress. Once worn to celebrate the beginning of a life together, now helps parents say goodbye to a life they barely got to know. And in every package, a message for the families. Your baby mattered, and you are not alone. We are so pleased to present our Fox 35 CareForce Award to all of the women behind the nonprofit organization Angels Above Baby Gowns, Don Corey, the founder. Congratulations to all of you. A round of applause. Dawn, you started this non-profit in Michigan and then carried it over to Ocala, Florida when you moved here. What has it been like to see this mission grow and become such a sisterhood? It's amazing. Plus, I've met so many people, and we have lots of friends. We have a great time. We get a lot accomplished. And we can see a lot of the women here today working away and all of the wedding dresses right now that you will soon be turning into these lovely little gowns. How can people watching right now? Find a way to donate or you take some of their time and join your mission. They can go to our Facebook page, Angels Above Baby Gowns. Our one here in Ocala is Angels Above Baby Gowns, Ocala, Florida. And on there is all the information as far as where they can mail a gown and what we do with the process. Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for all that you do. It's God's work. And again, one more round of applause for everything that you're doing here. We'll send it back to you in the studio.