Join us on 10/19/17 in Norwalk, CT for Taste of Heaven Fundraiser

  Click here to purchase tickets.

Missing a Special Day

By Missy Ortman, A Little Pink Lemonade For eight years we have had a yearly tradition of participating in a yearly walk/run in memory of babies lost too soon to SIDS.  Our “Pink Lemonade” team has been there since the run’s first year.  Our tradition each year was to take our family picture with Clara’s sign. […]

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 […]

8 Summer Fundraising Ideas

Summer is the perfect time to host a fundraiser and raise SIDS and stillbirth awareness. Download our First Candle How To Guide for Special Events and explore these fundraising activities for summer. Visit our Pinterest page for more ideas! Host a Block Party: Bring your community together to raise awareness! Learn how to organize one here. Film Showing: Show a family […]

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 […]

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: […]

Join us on 5/25 for #SafeHealthySleep Twitter Party

A Twitter party is a live chat held on Twitter. Use the hashtag #SafeHealthySleep to join the conversation. We will be answering questions about safe sleep and crib safety, with prizes available!

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 […]

We Want Every Mom To Hear The Words “Happy Mother’s Day”

  For many women, May 14th, Mother’s Day, is an incredibly special time. Unfortunately, for some moms it’s a painful reminder of what might have been. Every year, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Stillbirth claim the lives of 27,000 babies. Together, we can change this. Show the mom, sister, friend in […]

A father is running a marathon to raise money and awareness for SIDS after losing his daughter

Five-month-old Kaiya passed away in 2010 ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC-TV) – Karl Purvis wakes up everyday at 5 a.m. ready to hit the pavement. “I started doing 5k’s and all of the sudden one of my wife’s co-workers was like, I’m going to run a half marathon, would you train with me? And I was like […]

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: https://www.boppy.com/safe-sleep/.

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 […]

Join Us For The First Annual Forsythia Classic in Simsbury, CT

Join CJ First Candle on May 6, 2017 for the First Annual Forsythia Classic – William’s Memorial Golf Tournament at Simsbury Farms Golf Course in Simsbury, CT. This memorial golf tournament is in honor of William Fountain. William passed away due to SIDS on May 7, 2013 — just five short days after his birth. All […]

It Is Medication Safety Week! Learn How to Give Medicine to a Baby

It is Medication Safety Week and we interviewed Dr. Agnes Scoville, an emergency medicine doctor in Los Angeles, California, to discuss medication safety with babies. According to Dr. Scoville, “Many medical studies show that babies frequently get the wrong dose of medicine, in part because they spit it out. Up to 50% of babies receive the wrong […]

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 […]

Our Director of Education, Barb Himes, Wins Award!

Congratulations to Barb Himes, CJ First Candle Director of Education and Training, on her Community Health Network Safety Award! Barb and her team from Community Hospital East in Indianapolis, IN, were awarded for their “Early Initiation of Pumping at Community East Maternity”. They developed a strategy to get mothers of all breastfed babies admitted to the […]

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 […]