January 03, 2020

By day, Iliana Esparza is a customer service representative at City of Lubbock Utilities. On evenings and weekends, Esparza can be found spending time with her family and volunteering for Hope Mommies of West Texas, a nonprofit organization that provides a community for moms and families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss.

Hope Mommies’ mission is to bring comfort, encouragement, companionship and hope to mothers as they work through their grief. Esparza said she found Hope Mommies while coping with the loss of her own daughter, Amiya Flor.

“Losing a child or infant is one of the most difficult and isolating experiences a mother can go through,” said Esparza. “That’s why Hope Mommies is such a vital organization – it lets grieving mothers know they’re not alone, and that there is still a bright future ahead of them.”

Esparza helps Hope Mommies by fundraising and putting together Hope Boxes, which are care packages sent to mothers going through the grieving process. They include a book on grief, a journal, scripture cards and a handwritten note. Each box is personally assembled by a fellow Hope Mom with gifts for self-care such as teas, candles, bath bombs and jewelry.

These Hope Boxes are funded through Hope Mommies-hosted events including basketball tournaments, fundraising dinners and 5Ks.

“When everything else feels chaotic, Hope Boxes encourage vital personal time to grieve and heal, with Hope Mommies serving as a lifeline for whenever they’re ready,” said Esparza. “Grief is really just an excess of love that you wish you could give. The amazing women at Hope Mommies have found a powerful way to pay their love forward and create a community where mothers can begin to heal.”