Harwood hustling help for Hudson Cradle.

It is the specter of little babies being tossed into the street, or rather into a dreary hospital ward where attention is at a premium, that has Scott Harwood working the phones.

Harwood, president of Square Parking, is devoting much of his time these days trying to keep the babies in place, at a facility called Hudson Cradle in Jersey City, NJ.

Hudson Cradle takes care of up to seven babies up to the age of two years, primarily affected by abandonment, abuse, AIDS, or a family drug problem, explained Harwood. The babies' average stay is two months before they are placed permanently.

"They need love, affection and playtime and learning and mothering," says Harwood. Without the personal attention, he notes, studies show that "cradle babies make cradle babies."

Because of Federal funding cuts, Hudson Cradle has lost $414,000 in grants, which represents the majority of the facility's operating budget. While the building is rented for just $1 a year from Hudson Hospital, and many services are provided in-kind, there are on-going cash needs to pay for items such as mandatory staffers required by law.

"Our big three needs are diapers, food and garbage bags," says Harwood, who became involved in promoting the facility's needs a few months ago. "We do get in-kind donations, but the biggest problem is cash."

Harwood came upon Hudson Cradle through his work as a board member of the Liberty Health Care Foundation, which is part of Liberty Health Care System comprised of three Hudson County hospitals.

"I've come on board to shake-up the troops and get us into a survival mode," he says.

Harwood is also chairman of the Board of the Journal Square Restoration Corp., and is now reaching out to the real estate community and various foundations to rustle up not only enough money to keep Hudson Cradle going into 1998, but to develop a permanent endowment.

As part of the effort, Hudson Cradle is holding a fund-raiser to raise on December 1st at the Hudson County community College Student Center in Journal Square at 25 Journal Square, a/k/a 80 Sip Avenue, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $2,000 each.

"Everything that went into arranging this has been donated," Harwood explains. Pronto Cena Ristorante is providing food and beverages, including cocktails; music is by The Don Carter Jazz Trio; and there's free parking at 88 Sip Avenue at the Kinney lot.

For more information or to make a donation, call Hudson Cradle's Director, Sally Porter, at [phone], or reach Hardwood directly at [phone].

"I'm reaching for brass rings and hoping one will drop into my hand," he says. "Every day is a fight."