First Candle/SIDS Alliance is a national voluntary health organization uniting parents, caregivers and researchers nationwide with government, business and community service groups to advance infant health and survival. With help from more than 50 local affiliates and partner organizations, we are working to increase public participation and support in the fight against infant mortality.
Our mission is to promote infant health and survival during the prenatal period through two years of age through advocacy, education and research; while at the same time providing compassionate grief support to those affected by an infant death. Our primary focus areas are:
Research: Our national research program funds projects that meet the highest standards of scientific merit and medical significance in furthering the understanding of SIDS and other causes of infant death. Over the past decade, we have provided over $5 million in funding to 40 SIDS research projects at 25 upstanding medical institutions.
Education and Awareness: We supply comprehensive, quality assured information on infant health and survival to expectant parents, grandparents and the general public through a toll-free information hotline and our website. We also provide technical assistance and risk reduction education and training to professional and community organizations interested in infant health. Last year alone, we distributed more than 200,000 brochures and fact sheets.
Advocacy: First Candle/SIDS Alliance helps guide national and local political action to ensure that SIDS and other infant health programs receive adequate funding. First Candle/SIDS Alliance has ensured that Federal funding for SIDS research has increased from $500,000 in 1985 to over $17 million in 2002.
Family Support: First Candle/SIDS Alliance provides bereavement services to help families through the difficult time after the loss of a child. Through the distribution of grief packets, peer support training, conferences, referrals to local support services and our web site, we help families connect and share experiences. Crisis counselors are also available 24-hours per day, seven days per week through our toll-free crisis hotline. In just one year, First Candle/SIDS Alliance reached more than 13,000 people devastated by the tragedy of infant death.
First Candle/SIDS Alliance meets all standards set by the National Charities Information Bureau and is listed in its Wise Giving Guide.† Parenting and Parents magazines have recognized the organization as one of the top fifteen children's charities in America and as a "little charity that does big things." Most recently, Worth Magazine named First Candle/SIDS Alliance one of the nation's top 100 charities.
We are proud to maintain administrative costs well below the nonprofit industry standard of 25%. In 2002, First Candle/SIDS Alliance reported that fund raising and administrative costs comprised only 18% of the organizationís total operating budget.
TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION OR FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE CALL US TOLL-FREE AT 800-221-7437
OR VISIT US ON LINE AT WWW.FIRSTCANDLE.ORG
|
