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Learning Histories
Infant Stages Beds and Britches, Etc. (B.A.B.E.), a unique "store" offering new and used baby clothing and equipment, was born from the work of a multitude of community members and organizations. The story of its growth from a small idea to a living, breathing thing is marked by a collection of influences that started work well before the opening of the first B.A.B.E. store in 1992. In 1987 the Healthy Babies project was launched under the auspices of Memorial Health System, an initiative designed in part to bring a diverse group of people together to work on the issue of infant mortality in our community. In 1989 the St. Joseph County infant mortality rates were 8.5 per 1000 births overall and 20.9 per 1000 births for non-white persons (ISDH). Carl Ellison, Vice President, Community Affairs at Memorial Hospital reported that an incentive for the Healthy Babies project was that infant mortality rates in St. Joseph County exceeded state and national goals. Indeed, in 1990 the infant mortality rate for the state was 9.6 per 1,000 births overall, while in St. Joseph County it was 11 per 1,000 live births (State and Metropolitan Area Data Book.). Like all community issues, infant mortality reduction was linked to other complexities. "As we got into the infant mortality reduction area, we found a need to focus also on those babies that were here," said Carl. A committee called Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies was formed and chaired by Julie Koza, Director of Healthy Babies. The committee was a grassroots effort to make a difference in the area of maternal and child health. In 1991, this committee, made up of nurses, social workers, and concerned citizens brought the B.A.B.E. program into the world. Julie and others had investigated programs and models that focused on improving the early lives of children through family education and support. In the early nineties a small number of committee members, as well as other community leaders -- a high school principal, social service representatives -- traveled to Rockford, Illinois to visit a program and gather ideas. It was there that they saw the principle of what would later become the B.A.B.E. program in action. "There happened to be a couple young moms who were there," Carl said. They were taking part in a "clothes closet" program where there were "a few miscellaneous items that the young women...could earn...They testified to how nice it was to be able to earn things for their baby, and you could see the pride, you could see the self-esteem, associated with that." The B.A.B.E. program became a more extensive version of this "closet" idea, always emphasizing family and customer self-esteem as the foundation of its mission statement. This principle continues today as a guide in all its development efforts. The program works simply. Parents, and parents to be, earn B.A.B.E. coupons by keeping prenatal appointments, attending parenting classes, taking their child to get immunized, and a number of other activities that improve family health and child development. Physicians, clinics, and other social service "vendors" distribute the coupons to clients who can redeem them at B.A.B.E. stores for merchandise ranging from baby formula to cribs. The important part of this exchange is that customers come to the store with something they have earned themselves -- coupons -- and leave with something they are able to provide for their child -- a brand new stroller, diapers, or a handmade blanket. "All that work you do when you have a baby," one B.A.B.E. shopper and mother of two said, "being able to come here and get something you need makes you feel like you have something to show for it all. I really like it." |
