Nurture KC

Check out our October Update to see what we have been working on this month. We’re always busy helping to improve the lives of local babies and moms. Like what you see? Become a member of Nurture KC at https://nurturekc.org/membership.

In honor of Safe Sleep Awareness Month, we held a contest among our Healthy Start families to show their babies sleeping safely (alone, on their backs, in a clear crib). Here are our 5 winners: babies Ava, Ma’Raeya, David, Skylynn and Liam. Their families are each receiving a $50 gift card to Walmart, courtesy of Nurture KC and our partner University Health (formerly Truman Medical Centers).

Here is the heart and soul of our mission at Nurture KC – the sweet children in our Healthy Start program. 💗 (Click “read more” to view our video.) We recently celebrated 96 toddlers graduating from our program. Congrats to their parents! And, a special thank you to Molly Doroba from the Kansas City Public Library for story time during the virtual celebration. Learn more about our Healthy Start program at https://nurturekc.org/solutions/.

Exciting news: Nurture KC has a new Community Action Team (CAT) working on the Cribs for Kids National Infant Safe Sleep Initiative.

The goal? Get all KC metro hospitals certified in baby safe sleep practices, so staff can educate parents before they leave for home with their babies.

Here are a few details …

WHO? The CAT is comprised of doctors, nurses, community advocates, infant loss experts, a mom from our Healthy Start program and a few of our employees, including our FIMR coordinator.

WHAT’S FIMR? Nurture KC implemented the Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program in Kansas City to reduce infant deaths and health care disparities. FIMR is an action-oriented case review team identifying trends in infant losses, along with gaps in the health care system, then recommending actions to improve. Learn more at https://nurturekc.org/issues/infant-mortality/ .

That’s a wrap on our 2021 Immunization Symposium: “Vaccination in the Time of COVID-19.” Thank you to our sponsors: Home State Health, Sunflower Health Plan, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Moderna, Immunize Kansas Coalition, Missouri Immunization Coalition, Walgreens, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and Sanofi Pasteur. The event was made possible through through the support of these organizations.

Today’s 2021 Immunization Symposium was a success! Our speakers shared valuable insights to improve the health of our Kansas City community. Click “read more” below to see all our experts who contributed. It was an inspiring event and, working together, we can make a difference.

October is Safe Sleep Awareness Month. Do you know the ABC’s of safe sleep? Babies should always be placed Alone, on their Backs and in clutter-free Cribs to sleep. This simple acronym saves lives! Learn more tips at https://nurturekc.org/solutions/safe-sleep/.

<

Nurture KC’s upcoming flu and COVID vaccine clinics:

— Friday, Oct. 8 at Kansas City Kansas Community College (1 to 5 p.m.)

— Friday, Oct. 8 at Salvation Army in Olathe, KS (3:30 to 6:30 p.m.)

— Saturday, Oct. 9 at Nurture KC (10 a.m. to noon)

Thanks to Walgreens for providing the vaccines. For more details on these clinics and other future clinics, go to https://nurturekc.org/solutions/immunization/

So much is happening at Nurture KC! Access our September Update to learn:

– Immunization Symposium preview from Tracy Russell, Executive Director, Nurture KC
– How nurses, social workers and community health workers can earn continuing-education credits through the Immunization Symposium
– Why the documentary Belly of the Beast matters to women incarcerated women in our community (see key take-aways from our screening and discussion)
– Where our flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics are taking place in KS and MO (access the final schedule + an appointment scheduling option)
– What makes our Community Health Workers so special
– Who has joined our organization this month, including three key partners who renewed memberships

THANK YOU to Will Shields, hall-of-famer and former star of the Chiefs, for signing autographs for everyone who got their flu and COVID-19 vaccines at our clinic held at the Salvation Army of Olathe. We appreciate our partners El Centro, Walgreens and Aetna for this event.

Yesterday Nurture KC hosted a virtual screening of the documentary Belly of the Beast by Erika Cohn. It examines illegal sterilization practices in prison, along with poor healthcare, sexual abuse and assault, and targeting women of color. Nurture KC hosted this screening where 40 people watched the film and 20 participated in a group discussion afterward, which was moderated by Journey to New Life.

“Nurture KC advocates for the well-being of all women,” says Shannon Williams, Healthy Start Program Director. “Learning of the atrocities perpetrated against women incarcerated within the California Department of Corrections led us to inquire about how ‘justice involved’ women in Missouri are treated. This includes women who are in prison, on probation, diversion or parole. Viewing Belly of the Beast and having an open discussion with staff from Journey to New Life allowed attendees to gain insider knowledge on urgent health issues, as well as learn how we can better serve women and help them rebuild their lives.”

Click “read more” below to learn key take-aways from the discussion.