Many times a great idea is born out of a personal story, often a hard one. For Melissa Loudon, founder of the Blessing Basket ministry, this was the case.
After her three children left home at the same time, Loudon had a hole in her heart. She loved college-aged adults and missed her own. On the parent pages of Auburn University, she noticed some people selling baskets to students whose parents weren’t nearby.
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She quickly recognized that this type of service matched her giftings perfectly.
“One of my love languages is gift-giving. It doesn’t have to be anything really big or expensive — just something intentional that lets somebody know that you see them, that you notice something about them, that they feel seen. So I started watching it and just kept praying about it,” she said.
Loudon talked to her daughter, who said it would be perfect for her mother. Then her husband agreed. Finally, she shared it with a group of women who are using their passions for the Kingdom. Those who heard the idea thought it was wonderful.
She began trying ways to make it work — with no success. But she persevered.
“I was like, you know what? I’m just going to throw it out there. I’m just going to go for it and try it — and that was what I did. I just gave up trying to have everything exactly the way that I thought it needed to be before I started and just decided to go ahead and try it,” Loudon said.
Building relationships
Since it is close to Loudon’s home and because several of her friends’ children attend, Samford University was the obvious place to start this ministry. She told Julie Boyd, director of the office of parent and family engagement for Samford, about what she wanted to do, and the Blessing Basket was put on their resource page. Word of mouth from her friends and those who started receiving the baskets let others know about the business.
The baskets range from monthly baskets with themes — such as Easter or Christmas — to baskets for special days like birthdays. Each is tailored to its recipient.
Though the idea for this service isn’t new, Loudon stands out by also being a type of surrogate mom. With each basket delivery and visit, Loudon builds relationships with the students — and their parents.
“[The parents] know that they can just call me and say, ‘Hey, she’s having a bad day today. I just would love somebody to just go lay eyes on her for me and maybe give her some flowers and give her a note of Scripture and encouragement.’ Then I take a picture of them and send it to mom. It’s a need, I think. I know it was for me,” Loudon said.
When her oldest moved to another state, there were times she wished that there was a mom who could “lay eyes on him” and check on him because, even though a phone call is helpful to find out how your child is doing, it takes seeing them to really know.
“There were times that I was like, ‘Lord, I just wish there was a mom (near) because I don’t know how he’s doing right now and he doesn’t sound good — but he’s not going to tell me that,” she said.
One recipient’s parents, Damien and Marianne Durieux, appreciate Loudon’s “thoughtful service, reasonable pricing and genuine care, (but) what makes the experience even more meaningful is Melissa’s personal touch. She always recognizes our daughter and remembers her name during deliveries, which makes her feel truly cared for. I also appreciate receiving a photo of our daughter with her gift. It gave us a small window into her life away from home.”
Unique aspect
But what really sets the Blessing Basket ministry apart is the spiritual aspect. Loudon prays every day for these young adults. She’s willing to let them come to her home and have a meal with her and her husband. She invests in them. It’s much more than simply delivering a basket of goodies.
Loudon occasionally also makes a basket with unused items for her daughter’s roommates as a way of bonding with them. This relationship building led to one sharing some personal struggles with Loudon.
“It’s just been very, very precious. I’m out here thinking about how that’s just opened the door for her to know, ‘Hey, you always have a place at the table at our house. You’re seen.’ It isn’t much of anything that I bring them once a month and give them a hug and put a Scripture card in and say, ‘Guys, I’m praying for y’all.’ But just that — doing it consistently — has kind of lowered some of her safeguards that she’s had to be able to share and get to know her better,” Loudon said.
Exploring more partnerships
Loudon is exploring partnerships with other local colleges and can be contacted individually in the Birmingham area. She will also help those in other areas who want to start a similar ministry because there are students — and moms — who need this service everywhere.
More information about the Blessing Basket can be found on Facebook under “The Blessing Basket.”
Loudon can also be contacted at MelissaBlessingBasket@gmail.com.
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