We continue to bring COVID vaccine clinics to communities that need them most! Here, the Morales family receives their 2nd dose of the Pfizer vaccine. (Their toddler wanted a matching band-aid and did not receive the vaccine.) Thanks to Walgreens, El Centro Inc. and Iglesia Misionera El Verbo de Dios for partnering with us to make this clinic possible!
Thank you to Happy Bottoms for supplying diapers to families in our Healthy Start program on a monthly basis. Our families appreciate it! Nurture KC’s work is made possible by the generous support of our partners, such as Happy Bottoms. Check out all our partners at https://nurturekc.org/about-us/partners/.
It’s Nurse Appreciation Week. Did you know Nurture KC has 2 nurses on staff?
Raechel Blades, MSN, RNC–OB, helps moms in our Healthy Start program who need more specialized care to overcome barriers. Raechel operates out of Truman Medical Centers. Learn more about Healthy Start at https://nurturekc.org/solutions/.
Katherine Campbell, BSN, is our Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Program Coordinator. She leads a case review team to improve health delivery systems and save babies’ lives. Learn more about FIMR at https://nurturekc.org/issues/infant-mortality/.
Thank you, Raechel and Katherine, for all you both do!
April has been a flurry of activity! Nurture KC has been featured across KC news stations for our COVID vaccine clinics, Black Maternal Health Week and education on safe sleep for baby. Check out this news coverage + meet our new Administrative Assistant + see where we’re at with key legislative priorities in KS and MO + more — all in our April 2021 Update. As always, thank you for supporting our efforts!
Sweet baby Victor is sporting our trademarked “EAT AT MOM’S®” onesie – touting the benefits of breastfeeding. Order the onesie and check out breastfeeding resources at https://nurturekc.org/resources/#breastfeeding
Legislation: House Bill 37 will be introduced to the Missouri House floor sometime this week (April 26 – April 30). This legislation would radically expand vaccine exemptions to include a conscientious belief exemption and require all public schools to accept vaccination exemptions written by parents without a doctor’s signature. This bill exempts private schools from requiring any immunizations.
HB 37 has also been amended to prohibit entities in the state from issuing or requiring vaccine passports or vaccination records (i.e. COVID-19 vaccination record cards). The addition of this language is intended to garner broader support, even though a vaccine passport has not been proposed or endorsed in Missouri.
Additionally, the language of HB 37 has been amended on to House Bill 682, a bill limiting public colleges from requiring students to live in on-campus housing. HB 682 could be introduced on the Missouri House floor at any time.
Your Action is Needed Now:
MAIC urges you to reach out to your Kansas City area representatives and tell them to vote “no” on HB 37 and its amendments. See the proposed policy changes by clicking “read more” below and reference these in your communication as reasons to oppose HB 37. Each provision would dilute Missourians’ protection from preventable diseases.
Nurture KC is thrilled to welcome Erica Wilson as our Administrative Assistant. Her background includes administrative experience in education and healthcare. Erica is already hitting the ground running!
“I am excited to join Nurture KC because I have a heart to serve our community,” she says. “This organization does so much substantial work to lift up moms and babies who need it most … it’s inspiring! I enjoy the advocacy and research our staff works together on to push for health equity for families in the heart of KC. You’ll find me at our front desk, keeping things running smoothly, and serving as a liaison with our Board of Directors.”
Erica has an Associate of Arts degree from Johnson County Community College. Her hobbies include photography, volunteering and doing yoga. Also, Erica enjoys going on adventures with her family and dogs.
Nurture KC’s next COVID vaccine clinic is at El Verbo de Dio (a church), located at 700 Washington Blvd. in Kansas City, Kansas on:
• Friday, April 23, from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, April 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This clinic is by appointment only because Walgreens will be administering the 2-dose Pfizer vaccine. Any Kansas resident, age 16 and older, can register for an appointment on April 23 or 24 (first dose), then a follow-up appointment on May 14 or 15 (second dose). All appointment days and times are on this registration link.
Nurture KC will be hosting more COVID vaccine clinics, so keep an eye out on the news and on our social media channels — Facebook and Twitter!
Sadly, 132 infants died in Kansas and Missouri in 2018 due to unsafe sleeping conditions. This week KSHB 41 Action News talked with Nurture KC staff for an in-depth story about safe sleep practices to help prevent infant deaths.
“It’s more about what isn’t in the crib than what is — and what we want is baby in that crib, and only baby,” Tracy Russell, Executive Director of Nurture KC.
Health Start Program Director, Shannon Williams, shared the ABC’s of safe sleep for baby (Alone, Back, Crib).
See the full news segment here.
