Mom on a Mission- Alicia Voorhies

When Healthy Child Healthy World asked me to nominate a Mom on a Mission I had no clue who to pick. There are so many amazing moms accomplishing big missions that I truly admire. So many of the companies I've worked with are mompreneurs who are making fabulous safe products for our families. Not to mention the countless mom eco-bloggers who keep everyone informed with chemical updates and calling out green washers.

So I had to step back and look at what Healthy Child Healthy World is searching for. "Celebrating special and inspiring American parents who are dedicated to creating healthier and happier environments for children and families, our 4th Annual Mom on a Mission campaign is designed to shed light on those who put our words into action." (They are now accepting nominations and will be choosing 8 finalist from January-August to feature each month that will enter the running to be the 2012 Mom on a Mission.)

So I thought about who has inspired me the most with words AND actions, and that was easy- Alicia Voorhies of The Soft Landing.

2 years ago Alicia opened my eyes to Avoiding Toxic Plastics with her amazing Ebook. I had worked with Alicia on my blog before, but this guide truly stuck out for me over everything else I had read. You shouldn't have to be a scientist to understand what is in your child's products and Alicia made it easy for everyone to interpret what chemicals are what.

Not only does Alicia educate her readers with her Safe Living Guide and newsletters, she has working relationships with tons of manufacturing companies helping to educate them on what is toxic and asking them to change ingredients when she finds chemicals of concern. Alicia spends hours researching chemicals and their safety while providing her fans with easy to read articles that are beneficial to our children's health.

Alicia (with her family by her side) created The Soft Landing to help busy parents navigate unlabeled baby products. Since she closed her internet store last month, she has focused on a new venture- The Seal of Approval system. Companies can submit products to be reviewed for harmful chemicals by their team of experts. They are accepting submissions for baby, breastfeeding, clothing, dishes, eating gear, food storage, health, home, skincare, and toys. You can search the guide by product, manufacturer, or material which makes toxin-free shopping extremely easy for everyone!

Alicia is also working with a local birth center called the New Birth Company. It's the first truly eco-conscious birth center of its kind.  She has also partnered with Melissa Moog of Itsabelly to launch the first green baby and pregnancy resource in Kansas City. The Soft Landing and Itsabelly team is functioning as the New Birth Company's non-toxic product sourcing experts and healthy living class instructors. They will be organizing eco baby fairs for pregnant moms in their community and connecting them to natural health practitioners. It's an amazing opportunity to lead by example and help new parents take positive steps toward to creating a healthy environment for their babies from the beginning!

Alicia and The Soft Landing have been featured on ABC News, Newsweek, the New York Times, the Kansas City Star and health-conscious websites such as Dr. Greene, National Geographic’s The Green Guide, Environmental Working Group (EWG), and the Center for Health Environment and Justice (CHEJ). Alicia is currently serving as a Healthy Child Healthy World Parent Ambassador and volunteers for the Natural Parents Network. Alicia also can be found writing for various organizations and blogs, actively on Twitter,  Facebook, and Google+.

Alicia is a retired RN with a specialty in developmental disabilities, autism spectrum, seizure and behavioral disorders. She homeschools her 3 children, all while helping change the world. :)