The Power of Sharing

Jayme Ritchie’s making parenting a little easier, and the planet a little greener

Parenthood changes things. Maybe you think you’ll be different, that it won’t completely alter your life the way it has for so many others. You’ll be wrong. Jayme Ritchie was a career woman, a full-time law professional, grinding out work-heavy weeks. In 2007, Jayme gave birth to her daughter, and everything shifted gears. The carefree confidence of pre-parenthood turned into a deep-seated concern for her newborn’s safety and happiness. She wanted to stay home, to spend time with her daughter, and to be there for ALL of the moments. That’s normal, though. 

Jayme Ritchie also felt something that others might not. She felt lucky. Her career, and her situation, she knew afforded her some things that other new parents didn’t have. She could stay home. She could shift her focus to her daughter. Many parents didn't have that opportunity because they simply couldn’t leave work. They wouldn’t be able to experience the same joy because they had to figure out how they were going to afford the next box of diapers, or can of formula, or how they were going to be able to get out of the house without a stroller or car seat. Baby gear is expensive! And that realization led Jayme Ritchie to give back.

She started WeeCycle that same year. WeeCycle takes the classic hand-me-down system of reusing baby gear, toys and furniture and breaks it open to the entire community. Gently used baby gear is shared, rather than thrown away, giving families without need the chance to help those new parents who could benefit from a kickstart. The added plus comes from keeping those items out of landfills, which gives a little back to the planet.

Jayme Ritchie jokes that WeeCycle is the Robin Hood of baby gear, without the theft. That makes her a Colorado folk hero. Under Jayme’s giving guidance, WeeCycle continues to grow and expand, and her simple vision now reaches out to organizations that help low income families, victims of domestic violence, the under-employed, single parents, teen parents, and newly arriving refugee families. All from the simple idea of sharing. And all because parenting changes things. 

LINK: WEECYCLE