United Way of Central Iowa Women’s Leadership Connection (WLC) has purchased 156 new infant cribs for local early learning centers, at a cost of $60,000.
The cribs meet new federal safety guidelines, and will replace old drop-side cribs, which were banned by the Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) in June, 2011. The old cribs were blamed for the deaths of 30 infants and toddlers nationally.
Nine early learning centers supported by United Way WLC that will be receiving the new cribs are:
- Bear Basics, 135 Douglas Ave., Des Moines
- Capitol Park Early Learning Center, 800 East 12th St., Des Moines
- Color My World, 2900 Easter Lake Dr., Des Moines
- 8th Street Child Care, 907 8th St., Altoona
- Grandview II, 3004 E 38th St., Des Moines
- Early Enrichment at Oakridge, 1236 Oakridge Dr., Des Moines
- Teddy Bear Town, Scavo High School, 3700 52nd St., Des Moines
- West Des Moines Early Learning Center, 1721 25th Street, Suite 200, West Des Moines
- Wonder Years, 3838 M.L.King Jr Pkwy., Des Moines
United Way WLC members arranged for the old cribs to be picked up and destroyed.
According to Heather Jenks, a Heather Jenks, a Childcare Nurse Consultant funded by United Way WLC, the CPSC’s standards for new cribs include a labeling requirement, stronger construction standards in which the sides and bottoms must test up to 81 pounds of pressure, and joints must have anti-loosening devices.
“We’re glad to have the new cribs in the WLC-supported centers,” Jenks says. “We have much more confidence the babies will be safer.”
To learn more about infant crib safety, call 2-1-1 or visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5030.html