FUMC Hurst has partnered with the Baby Box Co. as a distribution site for their free Baby Boxes. Baby Boxes are based on a Finnish program.  For the past 60 years, each expectant mother in Finland has received a box from the government.  Thanks to this program, the infant mortality rate in Finland is almost zero.  The Baby Box Co. is working to re-create this program and its results here in the United States.  Texas is the second state (after New Jersey) to offer free Baby Boxes to all expectant mothers, and FUMC Hurst is the third distribution site in Tarrant County. 

Each Baby Box contains a firm mattress and a sheet and is large enough for a baby to sleep in for the first several months.  These boxes give babies a safe place to sleep free from many of the hazards that can lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In order to receive a Baby Box, a mother must register through Baby Box University, complete a brief safe sleep training and take a short quiz.  She is then able to pick up a box at a local distribution site or have one mailed to her. There are no residency, income or other requirements to qualify to receive a Baby Box.  The online training is offered in English, Spanish, French and other languages. 

Tarrant County has the highest infant mortality rate of the five most populous counties in the State of Texas.  We hope that partnering with the Baby Box Co. to distribute a safe place for babies to sleep will be part of the solution to this horrifying problem. Please help spread the news and share this opportunity with others. 

Complete information including links on how to get your baby box can be found at http://www.fumchurst.org/connect/baby-boxes/.