SIDS Educational Services, Inc.

Provides free cribs and crib sheets to low-income families.  Supports professionals and families grieving loss of babies to SIDS and other causes through counseling, books, hotline, referrals, etc.  Promotes risk-reduction research.

How do you help people in my community?

Since 1994, we have provided information and comfort (through peer counseling, book readings, and dissemination of information) to hundreds of families in the greater Washington metropolitan area. Just one example is that we donated more than 200 DANCING ON THE MOON books to the families of the people killed in the attack on the Pentagon and to Washington-area agencies serving those families. We also offer free professional counseling via phone from a licensed counselor who volunteers for us.
We have donated dozens of books to the William Wendt Center for Loss & Healing to support families who have lost babies to SIDS and other forms of infant death and to families they were helping through the September 11 tragedy. We also donated many books to the Washington, DC public library system.

Why do you need my support?

We are a small organization, with only one paid employee and many volunteers, so each small gift helps us tremendously. We are very grateful for any donation, no matter the size.

How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?

SIDS Educational Services has only one paid employee, its executive director, who has a very low salary by both nonprofit and for-profit standards. For Joani, her work is a labor of love for her son, Christian Gabriel Horchler, who died of SIDS in 1991. Joani's work includes not only managing the business but also doing peer counseling, public speaking, referrals, and the daily necessary work of invoicing sales orders and of packaging up books to be sent to individuals, SIDS organizations, libraries, etc. Only 14.7% of our total budget is spent on administration and fundraising.

Can I Volunteer? How?

We welcome volunteers to help with such office work as packaging and mailing books and with support for bereaved families. Volunteers with computer expertise and counseling experience would be particularly useful. Please call Joani at 301-322-2620 to volunteer.