Centra Supports Basically Babies Across Alberta

Every new parent hopes to welcome their baby into a world filled with security, warmth, and love. But for many families facing extreme financial hardship or rebuilding their lives from the ground up, that first year can be overwhelming.

For more than 30 years, Basically Babies has stepped in to help. Their mission: to ensure every newborn, no matter their circumstance, receives a dignified start to life.

At Centra Windows & Install Pros, we believe in supporting the organizations that strengthen the communities where our team members live and work. That’s why this partnership means so much to us, and why we’re proud to champion Basically Babies’ work in both Edmonton and Calgary.

A Simple Idea with Extraordinary Impact

In Edmonton – where the charity began – Basically Babies has built a strong foundation rooted in volunteerism and community care over the course of decades. Their signature layette model provides families with a complete, one-year wardrobe for their newborn: more than 100 carefully selected, cleaned, mended, and packaged items that ensure no baby goes without the essentials.

Demand grew over time. The launch of the Calgary program extended this life-changing support to families facing extreme need in southern Alberta – just as requests began to rise sharply.

Centra Cares & Basically Babies: A Shared Commitment

Our Employee Owners regularly nominate charities close to their hearts for support through the Centra Cares Foundation. In recent years, Basically Babies has been a standout.

• In 2024, as part of Centra’s 40th anniversary, we donated $40,000 to local charities, including a $10,000 gift to Basically Babies to support their expanding work across Alberta.
• In 2025, Centra Cares contributed an additional $2,500 to the Calgary program and $2,500 to the Edmonton program, ensuring both cities could continue building and distributing their layettes during a time of rising demand.

These contributions reflect our long-term commitment to supporting families and strengthening communities in Alberta and beyond.

Why This Work Matters

When families are facing financial strain, displacement, or crisis, even the smallest essentials can feel out of reach. A newborn’s first year becomes a source of stress rather than joy.

That’s where Basically Babies comes in:

• Layette items are high-quality, thoughtfully curated, and often brand new.
• Volunteers sort clothing, clean items, repair pieces, and assemble layettes with care.
• Agencies and community partners help identify families who need support.
• Demand is rising, making community involvement more important than ever.

Families may never meet the volunteers who assembled their layette – but they definitely feel their care.

How You Can Make a Difference

Centra Cares is proud to uplift Basically Babies, and we encourage our wider community to join us in backing their mission.

Here’s how you can help:

Donate Items

Newborn and infant clothing, snowsuits, sleepers, receiving blankets, and other essentials are always in high demand.

Donate Financially

If you don’t have suitable items but you still wish to donate, a financial contribution goes a long way to helping the babies who need it most.

Volunteer Your Time

If you live in Edmonton or Calgary, you can support the warehouse teams by sorting, washing, assembling, or assisting with inventory.

Host a Clothing Drive

Schools, corporate teams, and organizations can make a huge impact by running donation drives or fundraising events.

Spread the Word

Awareness fuels generosity. Tell your networks about the important work this charity is doing in both cities.

Centra Cares: Supporting Communities

Since becoming a registered charity in 2015, Centra Cares has donated more than $2,000,000 to over 250 charities, powered by the passion and generosity of our Employee Owners across Alberta and British Columbia.

Our work goes far beyond window and door projects – we invest in the wellbeing of families and stand behind the causes that protect our most vulnerable. Supporting Basically Babies reflects who we are at our core: part of the community, using our success to help those who need it.

Looking Ahead

As the need continues to grow, Centra Cares will continue standing alongside Basically Babies – supporting their programs, championing their mission, and helping ensure newborns in Alberta get the care and assistance they deserve.

To learn more about how we support communities across Western Canada, follow Centra Cares on our social channels and stay tuned for future initiatives, stories, and opportunities to get involved.