Resources for Promoting Safe Sleep: Cribs for Kids® Connection

   

Connection Message from the Founder: Dear Cribs for Kids Partners:   As I have said many times, "Cribs for Kids is only as strong as our partners."  It is through the hard work of over 450 partners nationwide that we are seeing a difference in the numbers of infants dying of sudden and unexpected sleep-related deaths.  As we begin another year, dedicated to saving babies' lives, I want to tell share with you in this newsletter some important things that are happening that will enhance our mission.   CRIBS FOR KIDS NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Save the Date     4th National Cribs for Kids® Conference April 14 - 17, 2015 Omni William Penn Hotel - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania As a Cribs for Kids® Partner, I ask you to join us at this national meeting so that you can share your experience, along with your triumphs and the barriers that you have had to overcome, with existing partners and those who are hoping to become partners.  In order to assure that Cribs for Kids® continues to grow, your input is very important. Discounted registration for the conference will be offered to our partners who are in good standing.  A few full scholarships will also be offered. Information will be posted on our website and notices will be sent out through our Facebook pages and the CAUSE Listserv. (see information below to sign up!) Cribs for Kids MINI-GRANT PROGRAMS We are thrilled to report that over the past two years, through the generosity of Cribs for Kids, 84 Lumber Company and the ABC Corporation , we have given out over 60 mini-grants to our partners.  Watch on our social media pages and the CAUSE Listserv for announcements about how you can apply to our upcoming mini-grant program.  Only partners in good standing are eligible to apply for one of the mini-grants. See list of 2013 awardees to the right of this page) SAFE SLEEP SURVIVAL KIT: Cribs for Kids is excited to unveil our 2014 Safe Sleep Survival kit  that now has a brand new look and some exciting additions!  Of course, the foundation of our safe sleep survival kit is the Cribs for Kids® Pack 'n Play®manufactured by Graco Children's Products! We are fortunate to be affiliated with Graco®, a company that has been in existence for over 60 years providing the highest quality baby products to families in over 40 countries. In fact, the Graco Pack 'n Play® Portable Crib was the first playard ever designed, invented by an employee of Graco Children's Products in 1987.   Since then many companies have produced 'knock-offs' of this unit, but none contain all of the patented safety features of the Graco Pack 'n Play® **. Unlike some of the other playards that are on the market, our Graco Pack 'n Play® unit has never been recalled by the Consumer Products Safety Commission for faulty design or manufacturing. One such design flaw is the bassinet feature on some playards, which are made out of material and not breathable mesh like our Graco® unit. Like bumper pads, which have been banned by the American Academy of Pediatrics, this type of design could cause the baby to re-breath and suffocate if their nose comes in contact with this material.   Another great feature is that our Cribs for Kids® SKU number on the unit  prohibits the Pack 'n Play® from being returned to a retail store for store credit or cash, assuring that the donation is being used for its intended purpose!  ** It is important to remember that in order to be a Cribs for Kids® Partner in good standing, we insist that the Graco Pack 'n Play® is the only playard-type crib that is used.  The Cribs for Kids® name cannot be associated with a program that uses playards that do not meet the standards of Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Initiative or the American Academy of Pediatrics.       SOCIAL MEDIA Cribs for Kids Website: As a Cribs for Kids® partner our website, belongs to you.  We have worked hard to make sure that everything you need to carry out the mission of your Cribs for Kids®  program is just a click away.   WWW.CRIBSFORKIDS.ORG  Beginning this year we are dedicating a section to Partner News/Events.   You can make us aware of what is going on in your area by directing sending us the information or posting it on our Cribs for  Kids®  Facebook page.  Once we receive it we will immediately put it on the website.   We want you to be aware that the 2014 Product Order Forms are now on the website. Just go to the Partners button on the toolbar, then to Existing Partner. To get into the Partner's Portal use the password Cribs4Kids1998 (It is case sensitive). All of the documents needed to run your program, including the 2014 Product Order Forms can be found in the Cribs for Kids Toolkit. Cribs for Kids Facebook Page: Join us on Facebook to keep abreast of what is happening with infant safe sleep and our partners throughout the country. This is also a great way to receive updates on our upcoming conference, mini-grants, etc... 1. Log in to Facebook 2. Enter "CribsforKidsHeadquarters"  in the Search Box at the top of the page 3. Click on "Add Friend."    Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Resources Facebook Page: The mission of Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Resources, an initiative of Cribs for Kids®, is to provide compassionate support to those who have experienced the death of a baby. In an effort to provide accessible bereavement support and to share information about grief and bereavement, Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Resources created the Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement page on Facebook.  Within that page, the Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Group was also created. The Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Group is a closed group for those who have experienced the death of a baby to talk about their precious child, share their experience, and provide support to and seek support from those who have had a similar loss. Once you sign up on the Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Facebook page, a Licensed Social Worker, will instant message you to determine if you are a grieving the loss of an infant. If you are, you will be entitled to join the closed Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Group within that page.   The Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Facebook page and the Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement Group are administered by Eileen Carlins, MSW, LSW, Director of Support and Education, and Laura Fauble, MSW, LSW, Director of Program Services. To join the Bereavement Forum on Facebook: Log in to Facebook Enter "Healing Hearts Infant Bereavement" in the Search Box at the top of the page Click on "Add Friend." To maintain the privacy of the group, your request will be submitted to an administrator for approval.  Please allow one day for your request to be activated CAUSE Listserv:  We are asking all of our partners to  join our C.A.U.S.E (Coalition Against Unsafe Sleeping Environments) Listserv.  Cribs for Kids is hosting the Infant Safe Sleep listserv but membership to the group is not limited to Cribs for Kids partners.  So, pass on these instructions to anyone you feel may benefit from the information that appears on the listserv.   To join this important discussion, hit "control" and then click on this link to subscribe:  Listserv Registration. Ask the Pediatrician:   A very popular feature of the Cribs for Kids website is Ask the Pediatrician.  This section is monitored by Eileen Tyrala, MD, FAAP, Medical Director and Educator for Cribs for Kids. Dr. Tyrala is a Board Certified pediatrician and neonatologist. She currently practices general pediatrics at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.   In addition to answering new questions every day, the Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section has her answers listed according to category.  She is available to answer the many questions mothers and professionals have regarding infant safe sleep, safety approved products and any other question pertaining to the health and care of an infant.  To view the page on the website go to Ask the Pediatrician. MEET OUR STAFF In addition to our partners, there are many other people who have contributed to our success. The most important of which is our hard-working and professional staff including Barbara Clemons, assisted by Cindy Molsand Brittany Johnson in our product distribution department; Eileen Carlins, MSW, LSW and Laura Fauble, MSW, LSW, handling our support and education;Paulette Luczak in charge of accounting and business operations; Heather Glaser heading up our public relations, development and social media department;Judy Rainey,  coordinator of CAUSE (Coalition Against Unsafe Sleeping Environments) and legislative affairs ;Deborah Robinson directing our Public Safety initiatives which includes our Cops and Cribs program; Eileen Tyrala, MD, our Medical Director, Educator and Ask the Pediatrician contributor and Michael Goodstein, MD, Medical Director and infant safe-sleep/hospital education consultant.   Cribs for Kids App: Download the Cribs for Kids App and share safe sleep educational information everywhere you go!  Share this QR code with new moms and caregivers so that they have the AAP safe sleep recommendations with them at all times! *Congratulations* 2013 Joseph A. Hardy, Sr.  Mini-grant Recipients Montgomery, AL - Gift of Life Foundation West Palm Beach, FL - Clinics Can Help Fort Lauderdale, FL - Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Broward County, Inc. Rockledge, FL - Brevard C.A.R.E.S. Lake Mary, FL - Florida SIDS Alliance, Inc. Augusta, GA - Safe Kids Greater Augusta Lisle, IL - SIDS of Illinois, Inc Lexington, KY - Safe Kids Fayette County Paintsville, KY - Johnson County Health Department Lake Charles, LA - United Way of Southwest Louisiana, Inc. Glen Burnie, MD - UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center Portland, ME - Maine Medical Center Kalamazoo, MI - Department of Human Services Big Rapids, MI - Mecosta-Osceola DHS & Meceola Children's Council Versailles, MS - Morgan County Health Center Raleigh, NC - North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation Burlington, NC - Alamance County Health Department Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Hastings, NE - Healthy Beginnings Reno, NV - REMSA-Safe Kids, Washoe County-Cribs for Kids® Las Vegas, NV - Baby's Bounty Troy, NY - START Children's Center Stony Brook, NY - Sudden Infant and Child Death (SICD) Resource Center Buffalo, NY - Jericho Road Ministries Cincinnati, OH - Health Care Access Now Cleveland, OH - University Hospitals MacDonald Women's Hospital Scranton, PA - St. Joseph's Center Williamsport, PA - Safe Kids Lycoming County / Cribs for Kids® Erie, PA - Student Parenting Program, The School District of the City of Erie, PA Washington, PA - Children and Youth Advisory Board Anderson, SC - Safe Kids Anderson County Greenville, SC - Upstate Cribs for Kids®/Safe Kids Upstate Spartanburg, SC - Safe Kids Spartanburg Chattanooga, TN - Chattanooga - Hamilton County Health Department Oak Ridge, TN - Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee Harrisonburg, VA -Shenandoah Women's Healthcare Roanoke, VA - Carilion Clinic Bremerton, WA - Kitsap County Coroner's Office Port Angeles, WA - First Step Family Support Center Tacoma, WA - MultiCare Health Systems DBA Mary Bridge Center for Childhood Safety Janesville, WI - Rock County Health Department  __________________________  Together, we are Helping Every Baby Sleep Safer!  Cribs for Kids 810 River Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15212 888.721.2742 www.cribsforkids.org Judith A. Bannon Founder and Executive Director  412-322-5680 ext. 3 jbannon@cribsforkids.org Eileen Carlins, MSW, LSW Director of Support & Education  412-322-5680 ext. 4 ecarlins@cribsforkids.org Heather Glaser Director of PR & Development  412-322-5680 ext. 5 hglaser@cribsforkids.org Barbara Clemons Director of Product Distribution  412-322-5680 ext. 7 bclemons@cribsforkids.org  Paulette Luczak, MS Director of Business Operations  412-322-5680 ext. 6 pluczak@cribsforkids.org Laura Fauble, MSW, LSW Director of Program Services  (412)322-5680 ext. 8 lfauble@cribsforkids.org Judy Kimmit Rainey  Director of National and Legislative Affairs  Washington, DC Office   202.494.3359   jrainey@cribsforkids.org