If you’ve ever doubted the power of social media, this story might just make you convert.
While there are downsides to our hyper-connected era, social media is also an invaluable tool for spreading social change. We told you not to long ago about these "baby boxes," a decades-old Finnish government program to help support first-time moms.
Well, after our story and others like it went viral, the idea of the Finnish baby box landed in front of a Minnesota woman named Danielle Selassie. The box, which serves as a starter pack of baby supplies, seemed like a brilliant idea to Selassie.
She also couldn’t understand why the idea had taken root over seas, and not right here in the U.S. Selassie saw plenty of need for the boxes all around her, particularly among teen moms with limited social and financial support.
As a one-time teen mom herself, Selassie was in the unique position of truly understanding what an expectant mom goes through when she doesn’t have the support she needs. Selassie ultimately gave her own child up for adoption, and now she’s now dedicated to giving other young mothers the boost they need.
She started a nonprofit called Babies Need Boxes, which is currently focused on the women of Emerge Mothers Academy in Minneapolis. Like the Finnish boxes, Selassie’s boxes contain wipes, diapers, and much more. They also double as baby beds, which mattresses in the bottom, and guidelines for safe sleep.
If you love the way this heartwarming trend is growing, please SHARE on Facebook! Let’s make the baby box a national standard!
