First Chance for Children Program updates during COVID-19

First Chance for Children has modified our programs to best serve families and keep our community safe during this crisis. The successful changes have been possible because of our incredible team. I want to give them a shout out before I dive into how our programs are different- I am SO proud of their resilience and ability to modify programs to meet family needs while also taking care of their own personal families.

While we are each primarily working from home, we still connect virtually daily to stay in touch. I am hopeful for the future of our organization, even in the middle of all this uncertainty. Our programs are needed now, more than ever, and we have a strong team to meet that challenge. If you have a chance, thank our team, they work tirelessly to meet our mission and support families so that every child has a first chance.

With that being said, here are the changes we’ve made to our programming:

Baby U: All home visits are being done via video or voice with no person-to-person interaction. Staff are dropping supplies at client door steps and then calling to go over the visit information. Staff are taking all the items they would normally take to a family in a month on a single drop off and then doing 1-4 calls with them monthly.

Cribs: We are training partners virtually through zoom. Families who need a crib are given the crib at their door step and are sent a video on how to properly set up the crib. They are also given a video on safe sleep. After the family has set up the crib they call their home visitor to talk through the visit curriculum and show/send a photo of the crib properly set up. Follow up visits are done virtually with a photo/video confirmation of the crib and child’s safety.

Baby Bags: Most of the emergency diapers are being delivered to family homes to reduce the in-person interaction. Their information is taken over the phone and items are dropped at their door. Follow up with the family is done as needed. Partners schedule a time to pick up their items from our office and are met outside with the items at a safe social distance so that no one is in the office. We also plan to have a no-contact diaper drive through on April 28th from 12-6 at our office.

Lend and Learn Libraries: We are delivering monthly activity kits to families in Boone county that include snacks, supplies, activities, and a book. Our Lend and Learn educator is also doing phone check in’s with families to support their individual needs during this time. Additionally, we are hosting weekly online activities on social media, posting consistently on our blog, and on all social media.

We know this time isn’t easy for anyone, but we hope these program changes will allow us to best support families needs during this challenging time. As always, being a parent is HARD, and we’re here to help.