Thank you.

Thank you to Lucky’s Market for their ongoing Bags for Change fundraiser that has benefited numerous local organizations.

Thank you to EVERYONE who shopped at Lucky’s, brought your own bags, and chose BWI of STL Gateway to receive your wooden dime during the quarter we were involved in the fundraiser.

Because of Lucky’s and all of you, BWI of STL received $747 from the Bags for Change program, AND Lucky’s matched those funds, for a total donation of $1,494.

THAT’S AMAZING!!

When we applied for the Lucky’s fundraiser, it was with the goal of using the money to further the Local Outreach component of BWI’s mission. With this donation, we now have the freedom to establish plans for making babywearing libraries and education accessible to more caregivers in our region who might not be able to attend a regular meeting. Potential programs that the Outreach Committee is considering include:

• Partnering with local organizations such as women’s shelters, pregnancy centers, and others whose goal is to provide support to new caregivers. We can provide babywearing education for the staff in those organizations, as well as reference materials and a dedicated carrier library for them to keep on-site.
• Providing babywearing reference materials and BWI details to be included in the information given to new caregivers at contact points such as hospitals, WIC, or similar organizations.
• Setting up a fund in order to provide reduced-fee or no-fee memberships to caregivers in need.
• Meeting other community needs as we can!

Our Outreach Committee is in the early stages of planning, but we are excited to use the Lucky’s donation to make community outreach a larger part of the BWI of STL operations. If you are passionate about bringing the benefits of babywearing to more of our local community, we would love to have you join our team of volunteers! The Outreach Committee and all of BWI is run entirely by volunteers, and we need your ideas, energy, and expertise. You do not have to be a babywearing “expert” to help! All you need is the desire to show fellow caregivers the potential of babywearing as a useful tool in successfully nurturing their little ones while also caring for themselves and fully participating in their lives. Look, I love this mission so much, I made a visual:

If you want to help bring these benefits to local caregivers, please contact our chapter and our volunteer coordinator will answer any questions you have and help get you started!