Forward Futures: Meet Sereniety

Sereniety holds her son at Step Forward's Safe Sleep Summit.

We met Sereniety at Step Forward’s first Safe Sleep Summit, a workshop designed to help families create safe, nurturing environments for their babies. 

For Sereniety, the event couldn’t have come at a better time. She recently moved across town with her baby and her 11-year-old son, leaving behind some of their belongings. 

“Everything is so expensive,” she said. “This event helps a lot. I don’t have the resources to get a stroller or a pack-n-play because I’m on a limited income.” 

Through the Safe Sleep Summit, Sereniety — along with dozens of other mothers — received free, essential equipment to help her baby sleep safely. In addition to the equipment, Sereniety also took home a large box of diapers. 

“This help is great,” she said. “Now, I have a big box of diapers that will last me a while.” 

Throughout the Summit, Sereniety learned vital information about safe sleep practices, including proper crib setup, safe sleep positioning, and ways to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or suffocation. 

Though she had watched instructional videos before, she said the in-person demonstrations made all the difference.  

“It’s so different when you can ask questions in real time,” she explained after practicing how to administer CPR to a baby. Her baby had just started eating solid foods, so the training felt especially important. 

With community support, even the smallest steps — like a safe crib and a little education — can lead to a safer, stronger start for every child.