Naples, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Collier County and NCH Safe and Healthy Children’s Coalition of Collier County are pleased to announce that Mr. Gary Hanke from Charlie’s Kids Foundation donated 200 “Sleep Baby Safe and Snug” books to Healthy Start of Collier County. Charlie’s Kids was founded with the purpose of increasing safe sleep awareness and education with the ultimate goal of reducing the Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID) mortality rate. According to the CDC, SUID is the death of an infant less than 1 year of age that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, and whose cause of death is not immediately obvious before investigation. In 2016, approximately 92 babies died of SUID in the state of Florida. That is more than 1.5 babies a week and 7.6 babies a month.

The Collier Healthy Start program provides a variety of programs and services aimed at helping pregnant women and families with young children, up to the age of three, access health care and community services. Approximately 95% of all funds received go to at risk-families. The NCH Birthing Place currently gives out a “Sleep Baby Safe and Snug” book to all babies born in Collier County. Mr. Hanke donated 200 “Sleep Baby Safe and Snug” for babies in the Healthy Start program who reside in Collier County but were born out of county.

Our children are our future and need to be our priority. Children deserve to make it to their first birthday. Parents, family members, caregivers, health practitioners, teachers, business and faith leaders, and neighbors must all play a role in the prevention of preventable infant deaths due to unsafe sleeping practices. The message is as simple as ABC. All infants need to sleep Alone, on their Backs and in a Crib. Remember, your baby is counting on you to keep him/her safe!!!!

For more information, please visit www.charlieskids.org, or call the Florida Department of Health in Collier County at (239) 252-6022.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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