How You Can Help Us

Baby Safety Month & SIDS Awareness Month

This September and October we will be asking retailers, restaurants and vendors to help us spread the word about the Safe Sleep Guidelines and how they save babies lives. It’s also a way to help build awareness of First Candle and the work we’re doing – from education to bereavement support.

We need your help. Simply print out the Point of Sale Participation Form and the Retailer Participation form below and take it to stores, restaurants and gyms in your community and ask if they will help.

Include in the letter your story- why is this important to you? Businesses want to support their customers when it has special meaning to them.

If you want to host a fundraiser for First Candle there are easy ways to do it – simply click here.

Need help? Feel free to e-mail us at info@firstcandle.org or call us at 203-966-1300 and we’ll be happy to help!

NYC Marathon

We’re so grateful to SIDS dad Doug Wetmore who will be running in the NYC Marathon to raise awareness and money for us. He’ll be running carrying his son’s red shoe “I’m running in the NYC Marathon to honor and remember my son, Alex, and to raise awareness and funding for sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) through First Candle. Alex was such a sweet and loving baby and he deserved a full life. The 3.5 months he did get were so wonderful. Alex — Daddy, Mommy, and big brother Will miss and love you every second of every day.”
Please consider donating to Doug’s fundraising page here https://www.crowdrise.com/…/cj-first-candle-…/douglaswetmore

Recent News

First Candle Supports Room Sharing to Reduce Risk of SIDS

As the leading national non-profit organization committed to eliminating Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other sleep-related infant deaths, we feel it’s important to respond to a new study on room sharing released today. The new study analyzed surveys from 230 first-time mothers who delivered at Penn State and found that babies slept for longer […]

Important Legislation for SIDS

We at First Candle are reaching out to let you know of a promising piece of legislation now under review by the U.S. Congress, focused on improving resources devoted to improving better understanding and awareness around unexpected sudden death early in life, including SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. Known as Scarlett’s Sunshine Act (H.R. […]

A Message From A Grieving Father…

There are so many friends of First Candle who give in various ways. Kelly Farley is a dad who lost not one but two babies. He has channeled his grief into helping other fathers who come to him through our grief line and other organizations. We are so grateful to have him as a resource. The following is his […]

Infant safe sleep – what I wish everyone knew

Last week I was at a meeting of my book club – my bookclub is like everyone else’s – we get together so that we talk about everything BUT that book we all didn’t read. Our club is made up of a group of women who are connected kind of peripherally, with some knowing each […]

When Life Changed Forever — Remembering Dylan Robert McEwen

My son, Dylan Robert, was born on November 2, 2010, at 38 weeks and was a happy and healthy baby boy. I had the pleasure of spending those first months of his life doing all the things new mothers do. I returned to work and put Dylan in daycare for a few days a week. […]

Safe Sleep and Breastfeeding Forum

New and energetic channels of communications between federal and regional groups opened up on November 5 when First Candle hosted a day-long Safe Sleep and Breastfeeding Forum at Stamford Hospital, fostering new relationships to help advance the Safe Sleep Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The event brought representatives from the Centers for […]

How to create a Facebook Fundraiser

Facebook has expanded its set of online fundraising tools to include personal online fundraisers for its users. The new tool allows Facebook users to raise money for campaigns and causes, include memorials, birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries. Nonprofits receive funds directly from Facebook every 15 days. Funds raised support our mission of eliminating SIDS, SUID, and […]

Help for a Grieving Parent at the Holidays

For those of us who have lost a child the holidays are always a difficult time. Sure, we put on a good act for our other kids and even our family because, to be honest, they couldn’t handle our grief year after year. After several years, we appear “normal” (whatever that means) but the grief […]

American Legion Awards Grant to Non-Profit First Candle

Grant Supports Charity’s Mission of Saving Babies’ Lives January 30, 2018 – New Canaan, CT – On Saturday Alison Jacobson, the Executive Director of First Candle, attended the Mid-Winter Conference of the American Legion’s Connecticut Chapter where she accepted the first half of a $16,000.00 Child Welfare Grant. First Candle is the national non-profit […]

NICHD is turning its back on continuing SIDS funding & research

For the first time since the SIDS Act of 1974, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has released a strategic plan with no priority given to SIDS/SUID research, infant mortality, or risk reduction interventions, training or outreach related to these topics. Let that sink in for a moment […]

Infant Deaths from Accidental Suffocation Can Be Prevented

Yesterday the American Academy of Pediatrics released a new report with the troubling finding that not only have declines in SIDS rates slowed but in some states they have actually increased. What’s more, the report found that from 1999 through 2015, infant death rates from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed surged 184 percent. The […]

The Rate of SIDS drops…but there’s still work to do

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report announcing that infant mortality rates have dropped by 15% and the rate of SIDS by 29%. That’s a huge success for those of us working in the field of infant health and survival. While this should be celebrated, there’s still a great deal of […]

CCAT Child Care Checklist

Child Care Checklist – Infant Safe Sleep As you look for child care outside your home, there are many things to consider. This guide will help you assess two important aspects of child care, infant safe sleep and breastfeeding, as you decide who will care for your baby. Please keep in mind, this has a […]

Starting A With Us Forever Memorial

For parents, family members and friends, the death of a baby is heartbreaking. Often times parents are asked where donations can be sent. First Candle is proud of its ongoing record of keeping administrative costs below the nonprofit standard of 25%. We guarantee that more than 75% of every dollar donated will go to support […]

Why woman are still dying during childbirth in the USA

According to a USA TODAY investigative report released in July 2018, thousands of women every year suffer serious injury or death during childbirth due to ignored safety practices, making it especially important that women take an active interest in their own care. More than 50,000 women a year are injured and about 700 mothers die, […]

Boppy Shows Parents What Safe Sleep Should Look Like

At First Candle we love to recognize companies that are getting the word out about the safest way for babies to sleep. Check out this new video from our friends at The Boppy Company and pass it along! For more information, visit: http://www.boppy.com/safe-sleep/.

Breastfeeding Significantly Reduces the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

This week is World Breastfeeding Week and at First Candle we are actively working to get the message out about the benefits of breastfeeding. This is something we discuss in our Straight Talk for Infant Safe Sleep programs and were surprised that over 66% of participants in our trainings weren’t aware that breastfeeding can significantly […]

Baby Boxes – What Parents Must Know

Baby Boxes, free sturdy boxes with a firm mattress, a waterproof cover and a fitted sheet, are being provided to new parents in an effort to reduce infant mortality rates nationwide. These boxes are intended to serve as a safe sleep area when a traditional and recommended sleep area is not available to the parents. As the […]

First Candle’s Straight Talk Training Improves Knowledge of Safe Sleep Guidelines

In early August Barb Himes, First Candle’s Director of Education and Training, spoke at the 46th annual conference of the National Black Nurses Association, presenting an overview of our Straight Talk for Infant Sleep program, which follows the Safe Sleep Guidelines developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. First Candle launched Straight Talk in 2017, […]

Diplomas help turn tragedy into triumph at Cal State Dominguez Hills

On May 27, the family will hold a fundraising block party for the CJ First Candle, at “Legend’s Lemonade Stand.” For a $25 donation, lunch and lemonade will be provided from 2-7 p.m. at 315 W. 20th St. in Long Beach. To donate to Legend’s memorial fund, click here. By Sandy Mazza, Daily Breeze POSTED: […]

Halo joins First Candle’s Safe Sleep Guardian Program

We ‘re so excited when companies and influencers are willing to help spread the word about infant safe sleep in order to reduce the rate of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths such as accidental suffocation. Halo, a long-time supporter of First Candle has always been committed to safe sleep and in fact was founded […]

Safe Sleep Recommendations reduce risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths

According to new safe sleep recommendations, infants should sleep in the same bedroom as their parents – but on a separate surface, such as a crib or bassinet, and never on a couch, armchair or soft surface — to decrease the risks of sleep-related deaths, according to new safe sleep recommendations and guidelines released by the […]

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Shenae Grimes-Beech Discusses Safe Sleep for Babies