Parenting Through the Seasons

Coalition Launches Campaign to Get Essential Baby Supplies Donated to Vulnerable Families in April

The partnership, known as Parenting Through the Seasons, will deliver essential supplies like diapers, wipes and more to help families impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic

MILWAUKIE, OR, April 6, 2020 – Beginning in April, a new coalition of non-profits and government is working to meet the needs of vulnerable Oregon families in search of baby supplies. The year-long campaign, Parenting Through the Seasons, will include three seasonal invitations for communities to contribute, starting with items needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. From April 6th  to May 6th, Oregonians are invited to donate through Amazon Wish to send much needed items like diapers, wipes, and other essentials to families involved in Healthy Families Oregon (HFO) and Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries (OARN) across Oregon. Local staff will deliver the items directly to their families.

“For every moment we can relieve the stress of parents, we can create a moment for connection,” says Elisabeth Underwood, Administrator for Healthy Families Oregon (HFO).

HFO is a free and voluntary home visiting program that focuses on strengthening the parent-child relationship. In response to COVID-19, in-person home visits have been halted; however, staff are still engaging virtually and, in many cases, delivering supplies to families.

Prevent Child Abuse Oregon Executive Director, Pamela Heisler, explains, “Young children are being shaped today by how they see their families and communities cope with this pandemic…this is our opportunity to show them how communities come together. Let’s shape their memories with hope rather than fear.”

Prevent Child Abuse Oregon (PCAO) is a statewide organization focused entirely on the upstream prevention of child abuse and neglect. Parenting Through the Seasons is being led by PCAO, to directly support families while at the same time, shining a bright light on what successful prevention looks like.

“Relief Nurseries have always engaged their local communities to support vulnerable families and now is the time for us to show unprecedented care for each other,” reminds OARN Executive Director, Cara Copeland.

Relief nurseries provide a unique array of free comprehensive family support services that are easily accessible to low-income parents and will play a critical role in distributing items to local families.

Learn more at Parenting Through the Seasons

ABOUT PREVENT CHILD ABUSE OREGON
Prevent Child Abuse Oregon is a provisional chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, founded in 1972 to promote the healthy development of children and prevent child abuse. The mission is to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect. PCAO envisions a state where every child lives in a safe home and community, regardless of race, class, culture or geography. To help PCAO please visit preventchildabuseoregon.org or follow PCAO on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

ABOUT OREGON ASSOCIATION OF RELIEF NURSERIES
Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries leads and sustains a network of Relief Nurseries in Oregon through advocacy, resource development and quality assurance.  Our vision is that all children in Oregon thrive in safe, nurturing and stable families.  Collectively each year we serve 1,500 families at risk for child maltreatment.  Our model has been keeping Oregon children safe and families together for over 40 years.  Find out more at www.oregonreliefnurseries.org and support your local community.

ABOUT HEALTHY FAMILIES OREGON
Healthy Families Oregon (HFO) is an accredited multi-site state system with Healthy Families America (HFA) and Oregon’s largest child abuse prevention program. Healthy Families Oregon is a free family support and parent education home visiting program that serves approximately 2,500 families annually. HFO is voluntary and focuses on strengthening the parent-child relationship to assure healthy child growth and development. Home visitors support parents in cultivating and strengthening a nurturing, positive relationship with their baby at each visit. Find out more at https://oregonearlylearning.com/healthy-families-oregon.