4 Organizations Partner to Champion Safe Sleep for Babies

MT. LAUREL, N.J., May 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JPMA Cares, the nonprofit foundation of the juvenile products industry, announced it's launching a Safe Sleep Campaign in partnership with Cribs for Kids, First Candle, and Safe Kids Worldwide. The campaign aims to deliver easy-to-understand, consistent advice about safe sleep to parents and caregivers across geographies, ethnicities, religions, and cultures.

"Each day, new babies are born, and we are on a mission to ensure their parents and caregivers have the knowledge and resources they need to make safe sleep decisions for these young children," said JPMA Cares Board of Directors Chair Rick Schaub.

Tragically, each year in the United States, about 3,400 babies die from sleep-related deaths, and underserved communities are impacted disproportionately.

"In many cases, these deaths are preventable," said Lisa Trofe, who serves as the executive director of JPMA and JPMA Cares. "Our pilot program will educate parents and caregivers on safe sleep practices and distribute safe sleep products like play yards to those who need them."

JPMA Cares' focus on safe sleep falls squarely within the organization's mission: Creating better outcomes for infants and toddlers by reducing preventable injuries and deaths and providing families in need with donations of time, talent, and product.

JPMA Cares selected partners for this Safe Sleep Campaign based on their areas of expertise. For example, Cribs for Kids is an organization that educates parents at the hospital on the importance of safe sleep for their babies and provides portable cribs to families in need.

"Our shared mission, centered around reducing infant mortality related to preventable sleep-related deaths, concentrates on providing safe sleep spaces and free programming through our network of more than 2,000 partners nationwide," said Cribs for Kids Founder & CEO Judy Bannon. "We believe these are key elements that root families in their safe sleep commitment." 

Another partner is First Candle, an organization that reaches the underserved through its free Let's Talk Community Chats where families can share their challenges and concerns about safe sleep and breastfeeding. 

"We are thrilled to join this collaboration to help inform and support all families in their efforts to provide a safe sleep space for their babies and understand the proper use of infant products," said First Candle Executive Director & CEO Alison Jacobson. "Through our community-led initiative, Let's Talk Community Chats, we know families are eager to receive this information from trusted sources, and we're excited to be able to deliver it."

Additionally, Safe Kids Worldwide will join the collaboration. Safe Kids is an organization working to reduce unintentional injuries and deaths of babies and children through an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the U.S.

"We know a safe sleep environment every night and every nap can save lives. However, the field faces challenges in supporting parents to ensure that happens," said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids. "We have a tremendous opportunity to join with like-minded partners to find new and innovative ways to reach all communities, to discuss inequities impacting sleep safety, and to make a meaningful difference for the families who need us most."

Anyone can learn more and get involved in the Safe Sleep Campaign by visiting JPMA Cares' website at jpmacares.org. There are opportunities to volunteer, donate, and advocate to keep babies and toddlers safe.

"The more people who contribute time and money to this Safe Sleep Campaign, the more markets we'll be able to reach," said Schaub. "Together, we can impact more families and more communities, thereby saving more lives."

About JPMA Cares
JPMA Cares is the philanthropic arm of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and the broader baby and children's products industry. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, JPMA Cares aims to create better outcomes for infants and toddlers by reducing preventable injuries and deaths and providing families in need with donations of time, talent, and product.

SOURCE JPMA Cares