To support children and safe sleep, WellSpan is donating cribettes and safety equipment for children to a dozen local shelters through our Spotlight on Children’s Health initiative.

This $10,000 investment across central Pennsylvania will provide essential safety items, including baby gates, tubs, medication lock boxes and 71 safe-sleep cribettes, mesh-sided beds with an elevated sleeping pad that look like a small playpen.

Morgan, child counselor advocate, and Danielle, safehouse counselor advocate, of Transitions of PA Safe House know how much this donation will mean to local families.

"We want to thank our community partners at WellSpan for their generous donation of child essentials,” says Morgan. “Domestic abuse survivors are often forced to flee their homes without any of their personal possessions or everyday items that they may need for themselves and their families. This can be especially difficult if they have children. These donated items will help our survivors provide comfort to their young children as they attempt to heal from the trauma that they have experienced."

In York County alone, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness and families over the last three years, with a significant increase among children ages 5 and under. Our team continues to connect with local shelters to understand their capacity and needs for serving families with children. 

In addition to providing physical safety equipment, WellSpan will also distribute information on the ABCs of Safe Sleep to parents and caregivers, promoting safe sleep practices for young children staying in shelters. Those letters stand for Alone, on Back and in a Crib.

These items and educational materials are in addition to the hundreds of families reached annually through WellSpan’s involvement in the Cribs for Kids program. Together, these programs aim to enhance safe sleep in our communities.

Learn more about our Spotlight on Children’s Health initiative here.