Every October, International Babywearing Week rolls around, and I want to donate all of my babywearing inspired glass jewelry and handblown ornaments to every single BWI chapter in the world… oh how I wish I could! Some of our customers are BWI members, and seek donations this time of year so they can use them as prizes and in auctions to raise money for this super important cause. Because what could be more important than happy, healthy babies? (and parents, too!)

The heart of Babywearing International is a network of local chapters which provide free educational meetings and support within their own communities. All BWI chapters are led by volunteers with extensive knowledge of different types of baby carriers and babywearing safety, and most chapters maintain lending libraries so that members and attendees can try a variety of carriers to determine what meets their individual needs. International Babywearing Week, held each October, has been an outreach event since 2008, during which BWI chapters, educators, and enthusiasts work together to build community and to increase media and public awareness of babywearing. Wearing our babies when they were little was an incredible fulfilling experience for our family, and one that helped shape our parenting philosophy and ideals over the years.

This year I held a contest on our Facebook page to see which BWI could rally the most support over just a few days, and gave our annual donation to the chapter that had the most votes. This year’s winner was Babywearing International of the Twin Cities, Minnesota! Hopefully they can make good use of our humble contribution. Keep an eye out for local events and celebrations in your area from October 2-8! And if you haven’t yet, go follow the FTG facebook page to get in on all these contests and giveaways!