We are so grateful to officially welcome Emily Morton to the Bridget’s Cradles team as our new Development Coordinator. 💜

Emily is married to her husband, Stephen, and is mom to their son, Griffin. She brings a professional background in financial office management, years of experience faithfully stewarding work and family life as a stay-at-home mom, and a love for serving others through ministry.

Emily and Stephen also serve together in music ministry at their local church, using their gifts to point others to Christ. But perhaps what makes this role especially meaningful is the personal story they carry.

In 2016, their daughter, Piper, was born and went to Heaven on the same day.

That experience gave Emily a compassion for grieving families and a personal understanding of the heartbreak so many of the mothers we serve carry every day. Her love for families walking through loss is evident in the way she listens, serves, and cares for others.

Before stepping into this staff role, Emily briefly served as Treasurer for Bridget’s Cradles from December 2025 through the beginning of May 2026. With her background in finance and office management, she did a wonderful job helping steward the organization well during that season.

Ashley Opliger, Executive Director of Bridget’s Cradles, shared that after working closely with Emily for several months, it quickly became clear that she was the right person for a much larger role within the ministry.

“After working with Emily for a couple of months, I quickly realized I wanted to hire her into this role. She has such a heart for this ministry, and I could clearly see her gifts, compassion, and relational strengths. Because of that, she stepped off the board to become staff.”

Ashley also expressed gratitude for Emily’s faithful service as Treasurer and shared excitement about the organization’s next leadership transition.

“Emily did a wonderful job serving as Treasurer, and we are so thankful for the care and professionalism she brought to that role. We are also pleased to welcome Hayden Antes as our new Treasurer.”

Ashley shared why this new Development Coordinator role has become so important for the future of the organization:

“Bridget’s Cradles has needed this role for a very long time. Historically, our core team of staff and volunteers has focused almost entirely on operations and programs because that is truly the heart of what we do. But as we have grown, we’ve realized that sustaining and expanding these programs requires intentional relationship-building and increased revenue.”

Over the past several years, Bridget’s Cradles has continued to expand its reach to grieving families and hospitals across the country. As the ministry grows, so does the need for long-term sustainability and strategic development.

“We are trying to build a sustainable organization, and staff is necessary for that,” Ashley said. “We want to continue reaching more families with the hope of Christ, and that takes strong relationships with donors, churches, hospitals, businesses, and grant partners who believe in this mission.”

In her role as Development Coordinator, Emily will help focus on building and strengthening those relationships while also supporting fundraising efforts, grant writing, and ministry partnerships.

Ashley shared that Emily felt like the perfect fit from the beginning.

“Emily has such a warm and loving personality, but beyond that, she genuinely has a heart for serving grieving families one-on-one. She understands this ministry deeply, not just professionally, but personally.”

Ashley also shared how Emily’s view of generosity and stewardship aligns beautifully with the mission and faith foundation of Bridget’s Cradles.

“Emily views giving as an opportunity to invest in the Kingdom of God. She believes we serve a rich God — rich in resources and rich in love — and that perspective is so important in development work. Fundraising is ultimately about inviting people into what God is already doing.”

We are incredibly thankful for the way God continues to provide the right people at the right time for this ministry. Please join us in welcoming Emily to the Bridget’s Cradles family as she serves in loving memory of Piper Morton, born into Heaven on September 15, 2016 🤍