Glenna Phelps-Aurich, Executive Director of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, (left) presented the Business of the Week award to Baby Bear Hugs and Erin Rinaldo - Baby Bear Hugs Advisory Committee Member, Miranda Ewbank - Logan/Morgan County Baby Bear Hugs Parenting Educator, Marta Wells - Baby Bear Hugs Mental Health Consultant and Renda Kelsch - Logan County Baby Bear Hugs Coordinator/Parenting Educator.
....Baby Bear Hugs began as a grass roots, peer to peer, parent support program in the late 1980’s and expanded to Logan County in 2006 when it merged with Logan County Family Connections. They are governed by a Regional Board of Directors.
....Their Board of Directors is comprised of 10 members that include a representative from each county they serve, a Member-at-Large, and a Games Manager.
....Baby Bear Hugs began as a result of lack of parenting support and understanding of child develop-ment. The local community organized trained volunteers who were experienced parents to reach out to new and isolated parents. The purpose was to provide parents with support, parenting education, connection to community resources, and build positive parenting and family strengths. The program's founding principles are that it is universal (available to all parents), participation is voluntary, and it is free for the families.
....Over the years the program has expanded, transformed, and intensified its services, utilizing trained, certified Parenting Educators to meet changing needs of families while keeping the original goals of providing parenting education and support.
....Each Baby Bear Hugs County has an Advisory Committee composed of local representatives from community agencies, businesses, churches, schools, service groups, parents, and elected officials. This committee is a working committee providing their time and expertise to promote Baby Bear Hugs and their programs, referring parents to Baby Bear Hugs, help fundraising and promoting our fundraisers. Most importantly, this committee, along with Baby Bear Hugs, is dedicated to helping families build and maintain healthy, happy, and secure families so they can live their best life. If you’re interested in finding out more or joining our Logan County Advisory Committee, please call Renda Kelsch, LC Coordinator at 970-630-7519.
....Logan County Baby Bear Hugs serves all Logan County families who are expecting parents or have children 0-3 years of age. Children 3-5 years of age can receive our services if there is a developmental delay or disability barrier identified by a Parenting Educator using development and social-emotional screenings.
....They partner with parents and caregivers to increase family strengths by visiting them in their homes, phone visits, telehealth visits or outdoor visits in a park. Baby Bear Hugs provide support to empower parents to solve their own problems and help reduce parenting stress. Baby Bear Hug’s curriculums include Nurse Family Partnership (NFP), Parenting Essentials 101, ongoing visits using Partners for a Healthy Baby Curriculum, ages & stages development, and social-emotional screenings.
....Baby Bear Hugs are located at 118 S. 3rd Ave., Sterling, CO 80751, call them at 970-630-7519, and 201 S. Main St., Yuma, Colorado 80759, call them at 970-848-5274.
....You can contact Renda Kelsch, Logan County Baby Bear Hugs Coordinator and Parenting Educator at 970-630-7519 or Renda.kelsch@babybearhugs.org, and Miranda, Ewbank -Logan County Parenting Educator at 970-630- 6709 or Miranda.ewbank@babybearhugs.org, and Ashley Padilla, Nurse Family Partnership Program Manager at 630-7183 or Ashley.padilla@babybearhugs.org. Email: babybear@babybearhugs.org , Website:www.babybearhugs.org.
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Baby Bear Hugs
Our Business Of The Week
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