Charity Work

Charity Work

Sarah Hardt is a volunteer photographer for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS), a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization committed to assisting parents and families going through the difficult time when they experience an early infant loss. She is one of many, many photographers who give up their time for this worthwhile cause and very necessary service.

According to a study done by The Center for Disease Control (January 2000), as many as 15% of pregnancies may end in fetal demise, miscarriage or stillbirth. In 1996, that figure exceeded 980,000 babies.

NILMDTS connects families with photographers and provides them with a DVD and a reproducible CD of the images of their baby. No cash is exchanged for the image DVDs, photographer's time and talent or the supplies that go into the organization. All funds used in running NILMDTS are donated. Since early 2005 when the organization was founded, over 900 photography professionals have joined and donated their services. Although most of the NILMDTS chapters are in the USA, affiliates also have joined in Canada, Italy, Israel, Australia, England, Ireland and New Zealand.

In addition to the portrait images, NILMDTS also serves as a support source for parents seeking information while experiencing the death of a baby. NILMDTS-affiliated photographers receive free education in bereavement photography and are part of an online community via the website.

For further information, contact the NILMDTS website at: www.nowilaymedowntosleep.com.

The organization does take direct charitable donations that help maintain public awareness of the organization, promote education and seminar training with local hospitals and nursing staff, assist parents with their bereavement through discussion forums on the NILMDTS website, and specific training and education of its volunteer photographers, not to mention keeping the lights on and water running! It has a wonderful, caring staff that answers the phones all day and is willing to respond to any questions or see to any need. Its website forums allow parents to console each other, share their stories, to weep and never forget. and to be heard and understood by other parents and family members going through similar tragedies. To donate simply click on the following link or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/donate/

All donations are greatly appreciated - so thank YOU and God Bless in advance!

The Today Show ran an extraordinary piece on the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation on March 5, 2008. The segment journals the relationship between Olivia Lundberg and her family and NILMDTS photographer Jessica Person. This story is the perfect representation of what we do here at NILMDTS and why our mission is so important in the communities we serve. Copy and paste the below link into your browser (there is a short commercial that proceeds it, wait a few seconds and the piece will be available to watch directly after it).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23481435#23481435

A life is a life, whether that life lasted a day, a minute or for a few months within their mother's womb. She is made up of her parents flesh, blood and longing. He is made up of hope and expectations. The bereaved parents want to honor the legacy of their child's life, no matter how brief it was. They want to remember their angels face and little fingers, toes and eyelashes. They don't want to brush this tragedy under the rug and suppress the undeniable pain within. They want to embrace the pain because in doing so helps them heal and allows them to embrace and celebrate the memory and precious spirit of their beautiful child.