Mom surprised with $25,000 to help throw baby showers for military families
— -- "Good Morning America" and Redbook magazine teamed up to honor the selfless work of an incredible mom who has dedicated her time to helping other moms, by surprising her with a $25,000 check for her charity organization before Mother's Day this weekend.
Kimberly Felshaw, who created the group Operation Showers of Appreciation, which throws monthly baby showers for military moms, cried and covered her mouth in shock at the overwhelming surprise.
“It’s amazing and overwhelming,” Felshaw said on “GMA” of getting to help these military families. “They’re families that truly deserve it and I think often enough we don’t show the respect and appreciation we should to our military and their families.”
To date, Felshaw's tireless work has celebrated with some 8,000 military families. The entire operation is run completely on brand new donated gifts.
"It shouldn't be an extra stresser on a military family because they chose to have a family, it should be a joyous moment," Felshaw told ABC News at the most recent baby shower she threw in Pala, California, that allowed 30 soon-to-be military moms to get their dream baby shower.
"There's nothing more joyful than a baby shower, and there's something particularly wonderful about one that's celebrating a family that may not otherwise be able to have one," Redbook editor-in-chief Meredith Rollins told ABC News.
First-time parents Alisha Grasso and her husband, Daanen Grasso, a petty officer in the Navy, drove three hours to come to one of Felshaw's baby showers. Alissa Grasso, who is pregnant with twins, told ABC news that attending the baby shower "means the world to both of us."
"It's such a tremendous help on our budget," she added, saying that it was also "so much fun."
Felshaw told ABC News that she was inspired to support the women who are often stationed far away from their family and friends after the tragic loss of her first baby to a terminal illness 11 years ago.
Felshaw added that she also continues her work to teach her own children how important it is to give back to the community.
"We can show our children that giving back and making other people happy too is a beautiful thing," Felshaw said.
