I can still remember the very first time I walked into a Babe Store. I had no idea what it was or how this place would impact my life on that first visit. Who would have known that 15 years later, I'd be here working hard to bring an organization that has meant so much to my family to Wabash, Indiana?

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My name is Katey Till, Founder and Executive Director of Babe of Wabash County.  My greatest calling to date has been being a stay-at-home mom. When our children were little, my husband worked (and still does) as a 7th-grade math teacher for Wabash City Schools. Raising three beautiful little girls on a single income wasn't easy.  As you can probably guess, money was tight. There were times we might have only had $10 or less in our bank account, bills on their way, and (of course) the baby was out of diapers. The stress was real!  And to make matters worse, our family made too much money to qualify for any financial assistance. 

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Babe of Whitley County was a source of light for our family during times of struggle. When my children were little, I earned Babe coupons by going to places that directly benefited them.  I could spend the coupons at the Babe store and purchase baby items I needed to help care for them by earning these coupons. Earning these coupons was easy.  Each week, I took my kids to the library and participated in storytime.  I collected so many coupons; I could buy things at the Babe Store that would have cost our family a lot of money to buy at the store.  I NEVER had to pay for diapers, car seats, or anything else that felt expensive or took money from groceries or paying the bills. Everything I purchased was brand new and of good quality.  These coupons were like gold to us! Babe of Whitley County holds an exceptional place in my heart for all they did for my family. I cannot express how grateful I am to this organization! 

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And that's why we started Babe of Wabash County!  I know how much Babe did for my family, and now I want to share it with others!
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So what is Babe?  We are an incentive-based program that partners with different businesses and organizations in the county that promote good health, education, and connections. When parents take their children (pregnancy-5-years-old) to these places partnered with us (such as the doctor, library, preschool, WIC, etc.), they will earn coupons for receiving services. They then redeemed their coupons in our boutique for much-needed baby items like diapers, wipes, clothing, and cribs. In addition to partnering with county-wide businesses and organizations, we have an educational wing.  This wing includes a playroom where parents can bring their children to play anytime during open hours.  We also offer classes and fun activities.  

 

Right now, we are offering a variety of parent/child classes on Thursday mornings that usually start at 10:30 am.  Eventually, we hope to grow our programming to include moms groups, dads groups, and formal classes that offer mentoring opportunities to parents raising their young children.   As we continue to grow, we are excited about the impact we plan to make in Wabash County and the educational and mentoring opportunities we plan to create!

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Finally, Babe is building solid connections with families by developing relationships with the people who use our services. Feeling connected and building relationships with other families and organizations in our community is a strong need among people today, especially as our society continues to navigate through the uncertainty of a pandemic. 

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Babe of Wabash County is a 501(c).  One thing that makes us unique is that we are not income-based. Therefore, we want to encourage all families of all incomes, backgrounds, shapes, and sizes to participate in the programs, which in turn, helps to build stronger family units and communities.

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Babe of Wabash County is 100% community-supported and depends on the contributions of our generous community, donors, and grants.  Donations can be either sent to Babe or the Community Foundation of Wabash County.  We have an account at the Community Foundation, and they will accept donations on our behalf.
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Much thanks to all of the many volunteers who have helped to bring this wonderful organization to fruition. We have been blessed with the assistance and help of many talented people who have given their time and energy to making Babe of Wabash County possible.  If you have any questions about Babe of Wabash County or would like to donate, please email us at babeofwabashinc@gmail.com or click on the donate button below. Please also be sure to check out our Facebook or Instagram pages.
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Katey Till
Founder and Executive Director of Babe of Wabash County