Next in our series of posts about new Charitocracy nominees, we have nominee First Candle, nominated by donor Jbarefoot. They work to prevent SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths, and support grieving families. You can find their web site here. First Candle provided grief support to Jbarefoot and her husband after tragically losing their healthy one-month-old daughter to SIDS.
A few words on Charitocracy
Firstly, for newcomers: here's how it works. Donors pool their monthly contributions, as little as $1. The cause with the most votes each month wins the pot. No matter how much or how little you contribute, each donor at Charitocracy gets one vote. This is where charity meets democracy. So please share this post and ask your friends to join us and vote! That's how we spread the word and, as a result, grow the monthly pot. The bigger the pot, the bigger our positive impact on the world!
About nominee First Candle
Our Mission
First Candle is committed to the elimination of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths through education and research, while providing support for grieving families who have suffered a loss.
Who We Are and What We Do
First Candle is dedicated to reducing the rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and preventable Stillbirths by educating caregivers and families, and supporting research. We are also committed to offering bereavement support for grieving families.
This has been our role for more than 35 years. In 1994 we partnered with the National Institutes of Health on the Back to Sleep campaign, which led to a reduction in the rate of SIDS by more than 50%.
Despite this, SIDS remains the leading cause of death for babies one month to one year of age. Due to SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths, including accidental suffocation, more than 300 babies every month may not live to see their first birthday. Infant mortality rates in the U.S are also higher than in the 20 wealthiest nations.
Our objective is clear: saving babies and supporting families. Working with local organizations throughout the country we are educating new and expectant parents on the importance of providing a safe sleep environment for their baby. And for those families who have tragically lost a baby we are here to offer bereavement support and counsel.
We are a national member in good standing of Community Health Charities, have a Gold ranking on Guide Star, and a 3-star ranking on Charity Navigator. We are proud to maintain administrative costs well below the nonprofit industry standard of 25 percent.
So visit First Candle's page on Charitocracy to vote for, like, or discuss this cause! And watch their important video covering safe sleep guidelines for infants: