Community Corner

$5K Grant Donated To Warren-Based Keeping Babies Safe Organization

The grant​ will be used towards Keeping Babies Safe's campaign which ensures that every baby is able to sleep in a safe and secure crib.

WARREN, NJ – A $5,000 grant was donated by Ronald McDonald House Charities to Keeping Babies Safe (KBS), a Warren-based non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring safe sleep practices and products for babies across America.

The grant is going towards KBS' “Project Safe Crib” campaign in New Jersey. Project Safe Crib works to ensure that every baby is able to sleep in a safe and secure crib, with the latest safety precautions, no matter the income level or other limitations of his or her parents.

This year’s grant is the second to KBS by RMHC.

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“We recognize the critical importance of KBS and its ongoing campaign to ensure safe cribs for babies,” said Christopher Perry, executive director of RMHC, New York Tri-State Area.

Every year, in response to requests made by New Jersey State Department of Children & Families (DCF) for cribs for needy families, KBS purchases and donates cribs, along with copies of the video on safe sleep and other educational materials to DCF. The cribs and educational materials are distributed by DCF to health and human services agencies that serve low-income families throughout New Jersey.

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KBS has trained DCF staff members in safe sleep practices and provides safe-sleep training to the staff members at the agencies that distribute the cribs. When the cribs are brought to the families’ homes, agency staff members set up the cribs safely and play the “Safe Sleep (Environments) for Babies” video. The staff members also discuss safe sleep practices with the family members. Agency staff members provide follow-up visits to the families to ensure that they are using the cribs safely.

Learn more about the work of KBS at keepingbabiessafe.org.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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