Free Cribs for Low-Income Families: Where to Get One
Free cribs come from Cribs for Kids partners, Medicaid health plans and health departments, most after a safe-sleep lesson. Where to ask and who qualifies.
Click to zoomA smiling mother talks with her baby, who stands holding the rail of a bare white crib.
A free crib is easier to find than most new moms expect, but it rarely comes from a store or a government office with a crib warehouse. It comes from a local partner of the charity Cribs for Kids, your Medicaid health plan, or your state or city health department. The charity's partners and the health departments ask for the same thing first: a short safe-sleep lesson.
This guide covers where free cribs for low income families come from, who qualifies for each, and when to ask. How this guide was checked. Every program rule below was read on the program's own page on October 3, 2026.
| The figure | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 3,400 | sudden unexpected infant deaths in the US in 2024, the reason programs give cribs at all | CDC |
| 1 million | cribs Cribs for Kids reports distributing, through about 2,000 partners nationwide | Cribs for Kids |
| 4 of 7 | Ohio Medicaid health plans that list a crib for pregnant members in 2026 | Ohio Medicaid |
The short version
- Cribs for Kids partners give a free portable crib to families with financial need and a baby 12 months or younger, after a safe-sleep lesson
- Medicaid health plans often add a free crib or pack and play for pregnant members, but each plan sets its own list
- State and city health departments run their own programs, and some, like Mississippi and New Mexico, have no income test
- WIC gives no cribs itself, but it can refer you, and in Baltimore being on WIC helps you qualify
- A used crib is only worth taking if it was made after June 28, 2011 and has no recalls
Where can you get a free crib?
Start with Cribs for Kids, a national safe-sleep charity that does not hand out cribs itself. It supplies Cribette portable cribs to local partners such as hospitals, health departments and clinics, and you search its partner map by ZIP code (Cribs for Kids, Find a Crib). Each listing shows whether that partner gives out a Cribette or a pack and play.
The partner list sets three requirements: financial need, a baby 12 months old or younger, and safe-sleep education before you take the crib home. The Cribette is rated for a baby up to 30 pounds and 35 inches.
In some places the crib comes before you leave the hospital. Every birthing hospital in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, runs the program: staff teach safe sleep, ask whether you have a separate safe sleep space, and give a Cribette before discharge if you need one. Ask your own hospital's social worker whether it does the same.
No partner nearby, or a baby past the age limit? Cribs for Kids points families to Healthy Start and Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies. It also suggests the county or state health department and your prenatal or pediatric clinic.
Can you get a free crib with Medicaid?
Often, yes, through your health plan rather than Medicaid's standard benefit list. Many Medicaid members are in a private managed care plan, and many plans add extras they call value-added benefits. A portable crib is a common one, usually as a choice between a crib, a car seat or a stroller. The free car seats guide covers the same plans from the car seat side.
Carolina Complete Health in North Carolina lets members choose a car seat, a portable crib or a stroller once every 12 months, for members who are expecting or delivered within the past 12 months (Carolina Complete Health). A Notification of Pregnancy form must be on file first. Allow 4 to 6 weeks, and the box cannot go to a PO box.
In Washington, Coordinated Care lets Apple Health members choose a stroller, car seat or pack and play at no cost (Coordinated Care).
Ohio shows how much the plan matters. Its 2026 comparison of extra benefits for pregnant members lists a crib at four of its seven Medicaid plans, and the other three list none (Ohio Medicaid, 2026 Value Added Benefits Comparison).
Texas makes plans easy to compare too: Texas HHS posts a chart of each STAR plan's extra services by service area (Texas HHS). In any state, call the member services number on your card and ask: "Do you give pregnant members a free crib or pack and play, and what do I do first?" The health insurance guide for single moms explains how to enroll if you are not covered yet.
Which health departments give free cribs?
Many state, county and city health departments run their own crib programs, and the rules vary more than most moms expect. Some test income and some do not. Some deliver to your home and some ask you to pick up in person. All five below teach safe sleep first.
Mississippi: no income test
Mississippi's Department of Health gives a free crib to any pregnant woman at 32 weeks or more, or anyone caring for an infant, who attends a free in-person safe-sleep session (Mississippi State Department of Health). The page lists no income rule. Call 601-576-7486 to find a session.
New Mexico: children under 2
New Mexico's Department of Health gives a free portable crib to any parent or caregiver of a child under 2. The catch is its free Safe Sleep Ambassador training, part of a campaign it launched in August 2025 (New Mexico Department of Health). Call 1-833-796-8773 for details.
Ohio: under 200% of poverty
Ohio funds local agencies to give cribs and safe-sleep education to mothers at least 32 weeks pregnant or with a baby under 1, in households under 200% of the federal poverty level (Ohio Department of Children and Youth). Caregivers, including non-custodial grandparents, and families with twins qualify too. The state list names 30 funded agencies and the counties each serves, with phone numbers.
Philadelphia: pick up at a resource hub
Philadelphia's health department gives a new portable crib at its resource hubs, five in its 2023 notice. It serves city residents expecting within 30 to 60 days, or with a baby under 10 months who weighs under 30 pounds (City of Philadelphia). You watch a 4 to 5 minute setup video, show you can assemble it, and sign a waiver. Supply is limited, so you may be asked to come back.
Baltimore: delivered to your door
In Baltimore City, HealthCare Access Maryland brings a new portable crib to your home and shows you how to set it up (HealthCare Access Maryland). You must be at least 36 weeks pregnant or have a baby under 8 months and under 24 pounds. You also need a very low income or WIC, Temporary Cash Assistance, Medical Assistance or SNAP, and no other way to get a crib. Call 410-649-0500, option 2.
If your state is not listed, search your state health department's site for "safe sleep" or "crib," or ask the nurse at your next prenatal visit. If you are still pregnant, the grants for pregnant mothers guide lists the cash help that runs alongside these programs.
Does WIC give free cribs?
No. WIC's benefit list is healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to other services (USDA, WIC Benefits). The referral is the useful part: WIC can connect you with community-based services, so ask your counselor which local agency has cribs. In Baltimore, being on WIC is one way to meet the income rule for a free crib.
Ask about diapers and formula at the same appointment. The WIC guide for single mothers covers the income limits if you are not enrolled yet.
Why do free crib programs teach safe sleep first?
Because the crib alone does not prevent most sleep deaths. In 2024 there were about 3,400 sudden unexpected infant deaths in the US, including 1,099 from unknown causes and 947 from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (CDC, Data and Statistics for SUID and SIDS). By cause, 40% were sudden infant death syndrome (CDC, SUID by Cause of Death, 2024).
The lesson is short. The Consumer Product Safety Commission calls it "Bare is Best": nothing but a fitted sheet in the crib, bassinet or play yard, and the baby always on their back (CPSC, Safe Sleep). No pillows, blankets or weighted blankets, and no sleeping in rockers or swings.
The American Academy of Pediatrics adds one more: share a room with your baby for at least the first 6 months, but never a bed. It says room sharing can cut the risk of SIDS by as much as 50% (AAP, HealthyChildren.org). A free crib next to your bed makes that easy.
Is a used or donated crib safe?
Only if it is new enough. Full-size cribs made or imported after June 28, 2011 must meet the federal crib standard, which sets requirements for crib sides, slats, mattress supports and hardware (CPSC, Full-Size Baby Cribs). A crib made before that date was built to older rules, so pass on it even if it looks fine.
For any secondhand crib or play yard, find the model number and date on its label, then check it for recalls at SaferProducts.gov, as CPSC advises. Free-giving groups work well for strollers and dressers, as the free furniture guide explains. A crib with a missing label, though, is a crib you cannot check.
The AAP points to a 2021 CPSC rule: every infant sleep product, including baby boxes, nests and in-bed sleepers, must meet the federal standard for cribs, bassinets, portable cribs or play yards. In an emergency, it says a box or drawer with thin, firm padding can work temporarily, until you can move the baby to a crib that meets the standard.
Side by side, the routes differ mainly in who qualifies and what you do first.
| Route | Who qualifies | What you do first |
|---|---|---|
| Cribs for Kids partner | Financial need, baby 12 months or younger | Search the partner map, then a safe-sleep lesson |
| Medicaid health plan | Pregnant or new-mom plan members | Notification of Pregnancy, then request the benefit |
| State or city health department | Varies; some have no income test | Book and attend a safe-sleep class |
| Hospital program | New moms who need a sleep space | Ask the social worker before discharge |
| WIC | WIC participants | Ask your counselor for a referral |
Free crib checklist
- Search the Cribs for Kids partner map by ZIP code and call the nearest partner.
- Call the member services number on your Medicaid card and ask whether your plan gives a free crib or pack and play.
- File your Notification of Pregnancy with the plan early, because some plans, like Carolina Complete Health, will not process the request without it.
- Search your state or city health department for a safe-sleep program and book its class in the third trimester.
- Ask your WIC counselor or hospital social worker which agency has cribs this month, or dial 211.
- If you take a used crib, confirm it was made after June 28, 2011 and check the model for recalls.
Frequently asked questions
Does WIC give free cribs?
No. WIC gives healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals, not cribs. The referral still helps, because WIC can connect you with community-based services, so ask your counselor which local agency gives free cribs. In Baltimore, being on WIC is one way to meet the income rule for the city's free portable crib.
Can I get a free crib with Medicaid?
Often, through your Medicaid health plan rather than Medicaid itself. Many plans offer a portable crib or pack and play to pregnant members, usually as a choice with a car seat or stroller. In Ohio, four of seven plans list one for 2026. Call member services and ask what your plan gives.
How do I get a crib for free?
Search the Cribs for Kids partner map by ZIP code, ask your Medicaid health plan about value-added benefits, and check your state or city health department for a safe-sleep program. Most programs ask for financial need and a short safe-sleep lesson first, and some will give the crib before your baby arrives.
Can I get a free crib before the baby is born?
Yes, in many programs. Mississippi starts at 32 weeks of pregnancy, Baltimore at 36 weeks, and Philadelphia 30 to 60 days before your due date. Medicaid plans often take requests during pregnancy too. The third trimester is the best time to ask, because supply can run short, as Philadelphia warns.
Is a free pack and play as safe as a crib?
Yes, if it meets the federal standard for play yards and you use it bare. The AAP lists cribs, bassinets, portable cribs and play yards that meet federal safety standards as safe sleep spaces. Use only the fitted sheet made for it, with no pillows, blankets or bumpers, and always lay the baby on their back.
What if there is no free crib program near me?
Dial 211, the free and confidential United Way helpline, and ask for a safe-sleep or crib program in your county (211). Ask your prenatal clinic, Healthy Start program and hospital social worker too. Until a crib arrives, the AAP says a box or drawer with thin, firm padding is a temporary option.
A crib is one of several big baby costs. The free diapers guide covers the next one. For help beyond the baby gear, the single mom resources page lists programs by need.
Sources
- Cribs for Kids, Find a Crib (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Cribs for Kids, home page (partners and cribs distributed) (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Carolina Complete Health, New Parents Package (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Coordinated Care, Value-Added Benefits (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Ohio Medicaid, Managed Care Organization 2026 Value Added Benefits Comparison (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Texas HHS, STAR Comparison Charts (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Mississippi State Department of Health, Your New Cribette (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- New Mexico Department of Health, Safe Sleep campaign includes free portable crib (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- City of Philadelphia, Pick up a free portable crib at a resource hub (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Cribs for Kids/Safe Sleep Program, Counties Served Contact List (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- HealthCare Access Maryland, Safe Sleep (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- USDA, WIC Benefits (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- CDC, Data and Statistics for SUID and SIDS (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- CDC, SUID by Cause of Death, 2024 (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, A Parent's Guide to Safe Sleep (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- CPSC, Safe Sleep: Cribs and Infant Products (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- CPSC, Full-Size Baby Cribs Business Guidance (retrieved October 3, 2026)
- United Way 211 (retrieved October 3, 2026)
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✻ About the contributor · Folio N°.185
Written by Subha
Psychologist and writer covering the topics that matter most to single moms, money, mental health, and the small daily rituals that keep a family running. Every article is research-backed and edited four times before publish.
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