100 River Babies is the public-facing outreach campaign that grew out of Project 100.
We want to reach every family with a baby, connecting them with services, and weaving a strong network of community support around them from the very beginning.
Who We Are
We are not just one organization. We are many local groups banded together. Our goal is to reduce the stress on families with babies living here in the lower Russian River area -so that all babies here each year can grow up with the best foundation possible.
Why We Do This
We see that the pressure of not being able to get food, medicine, shelter, or find a community can create isolation and an overwhelming level of stress that is toxic for babies and their developing brains.
Decades of research show us that the first 1,000 days of a baby’s life really matter, and that getting families the resources and help they need is essential for keeping their stress levels low so that their baby’s natural growth can flourish.
We believe that the future of our community
depends on the connections we weave and the health of our youngest residents and their families.
How It Works
We strive to offer families with babies a buffet of resources in a one-stop-shop approach, and to involve community members in becoming the network of support that all families need.
This can include emergency food and medical supplies, referrals to childcare and childcare assistance programs, things like low-cost car seats, and a network of community programs designed to support and connect families. Our goal is to surround new families with the care that makes their days manageable, and the work of caring for a young child a little lighter.
Because nobody raises a healthy baby alone.
What is the campaign about?
At its heart, the 100 River Babies outreach campaign is about relieving stress. Raising a baby is hard, and no one does it well in isolation. When families are overwhelmed, babies bear the cost — in disrupted development, in unnecessary toxic stress, in outcomes that ripple across a lifetime.
By surrounding new families with connection and care, we hope to give these babies the foundation they need to grow into healthy members of the community.
Who are the target audiences?
This outreach campaign functions as movement built around two audiences with two distinct goals.
For local families with babies, the goal is connection.
Linking new families to services, to each other, and to the broader community.
For community members, the goal is involvement.
An invitation to take small, meaningful actions that make life a little easier for the families around them.
River Babies — Why the name?
The name draws on “River Rats” — an affectionate term locals in the lower Russian River have long called themselves — reframing the term to celebrate the approximately 100 babies born in the lower Russian River community each year.
Why 100? One hundred babies is an important number. It’s small enough to make something ambitious feel possible.