Greetings,
I write to you today as we prepare to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Cribs for Kids continues to grow in ways I could have only dreamed of in 1998. Our mission to help every baby sleep safer remains the guiding light in our efforts as we continue to scale our organization. Over the past 25 years, we have been fortunate to see our programs grow thanks to our incredibly talented, hard-working team. The staff at Cribs for Kids is wholly dedicated to our mission and continues to amaze me with their innovation. We are all beyond grateful for your consistent, unwavering support and advocacy.
Before Cribs for Kids, we were SIDS of Pennsylvania. We had spent years working diligently to help find out what was taking our babies in their sleep. Raising money for research while comforting grieving parents, we became more than determined to succeed. Back then, in the 1990s, babies were dying at an alarming rate. The SIDS community was working frantically toward discovering the cause, and we were barely keeping our heads above water.
With the introduction of the 1992 Back to Sleep campaign, the rates of SIDS were cut in half. However, the babies who continued to die were found in unsafe sleeping environments. If they were found in a crib, it was laden with blankets, bumpers, and plush toys. We also found that the overwhelming majority of these babies were dying in low-income homes, born to families that could not afford a crib. Once again, our goal post shifted, and in 1998 Cribs for Kids was born from a deep desire to find a practical solution to the problem of babies dying while sleeping in unsafe environments. Because of our efforts, sleep-related deaths have dropped from 10,000 in 1992 to 3,500 according to the CDC.
We appreciate your consideration of a year-end donation. You may use the enclosed envelope to send your donation or make an online contribution at cribsforkids.org/donate. Every $70.00 raised will place an at-risk baby into a safe crib and provide vital safe sleep education to their family.
On behalf of our staff, the Board of Directors, and the babies who will have a greater chance to celebrate their first birthdays, I would like to thank you in advance and wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season.
Sincerely,
Judy Bannon
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Cribs for Kids
