International Babywearing Week 2017: Call for Donations

October 2-8, 2017, Worldwide: International Babywearing Week is an annual week-long campaign dedicated to celebrating, promoting awareness of, and advocating for the many benefits of babywearing through local and online celebrations, media awareness, and educational activities. Through this event, we hope to promote babywearing as a universally accepted practice that benefits caregivers and children. It is also an opportunity to fund raise so that we can further our primary mission through continued education and outreach. The theme for International Babywearing Week's ninth annual celebration is: Threaded Together. The inspiration from the theme comes from the many different threads that come together to form textiles and the weaving process for all of the carriers we use. All of these individual threads, once woven, create a material in the same way  individuals and groups worldwide come together to create a global babywearing community.

[Image Description: The “Threaded Together” logo is composed of three human figures in orange, light blue and dark blue. They are holding hands and look like they are made from one thread that also creates a circle making a border around them shifts in the same colors. Underneath the circle, read the words “Threaded Together.”]

This year for IBW, BWI of Wichita, will be hosting several online and in-person activities throughout the week culminating in an opportunity drawing for some great prizes.  We want to make this year's IBW a smashing success and to do that, we need your assistance.  We are looking for individuals and businesses who are willing to donate their services or products to be used as prizes for our fundraisers and opportunity drawing.

If you are not in a position to contribute, that's okay! You can help us tremendously by spreading the word far and wide. You, the community we serve, are some of our greatest advocates! We are looking for the following:

• Photographer services (mini sessions or full family portrait sessions), to be used as a prize and/or as its own fundraising activity
• Other professional services that may be of interest to child caregivers (eg. massage services, babysitting services, salon services, children's classes or activities)
• Tickets or gift cards to area attractions and activities
• Gift cards to local restaurants and retailers (preferably child/baby related)
• Gift baskets or items from home-based businesses
• Handmade craft items (blankets, stuffed animals, booties, etc.)  

Please consider donating your time and support to Babywearing International of Wichita. Your donations are tax deductible and go towards the wonderful (and FREE) education we offer in the community.  We believe passionately in the work that we do and appreciate your continued support in helping us gain the resources to do it.