The Indianapolis Bed and Britches, Etc., known as the B.A.B.E. program, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the grand opening of its new store at the Philip and Vivian Pecar Health Center, 6940 North Michigan Road, on Thursday, August 18 at 11:15 a.m. The new store will be administered by St.Vincent Hospitals and Health Services.
"We are pleased to see the opening of the B.A.B.E. store at the Pecar Health Center. As a community, we must do all we can to encourage healthy pregnancies and healthy births. The B.A.B.E. program plays a significant role in ensuring healthy birth outcomes," said Virginia A. Caine, M.D., director, Marion County Health Department.
This innovative, community-based program offers incentives in the form of coupons to parents who seek medical, education and nutritional services for themselves and their children. Parents earn coupons for seeking prenatal care, well baby care, immunizations, parenting and childbirth education classes, WIC nutrition education, care coordination and other services. Families then redeem the coupons at B.A.B.E. stores for new or gently used infant and maternity clothing, cribs, car seats and other baby supplies.
"St. Vincent has a substantial commitment to the B.A.B.E. program and is pleased to be able to support the new location," said Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH, president of St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services.
"Programs such as this have long been a part of our health care ministry-St. Vincent has sponsored the store at the Jubilee Center for many years under the stewardship of Sister Rosaria Raidl," Maryland said.
In 2004, more than 24,751 coupons were redeemed, a sharp increase from the 19,250 coupons redeemed in 2003. When the program began with the opening of two stores in 1995 several hundred people were served. Ten years later, with three additional stores, the B.A.B.E. program serves thousands of individuals annually.
The Pecar B.A.B.E. store becomes the fifth in Marion County and will be administered by St.Vincent Hospital and Health Services. Additional support comes from the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, the Marion County Health Department and Wishard Health Services.
B.A.B.E. stores are located at 2402 E. Park; 3840 North Sherman Drive; 1706 Prospect Avenue and 2753 Brill Road. Other store sponsors include Methodist Hospital and Community Hospital and Health Services.
