What We Do

Communities for Kids operates several programs designed to meet the needs of our community by supporting families and providing education and assistance to parents and caregivers. To achieve this goal,

• We provide copies of The American Academy of Pediatrics: Your Baby's First Year to the parents of all babies born at Hendricks Regional Hospital. This comprehensive baby care manual provides information on caring for infants, finding quality child care, and supporting parents and siblings after the arrival of a newborn. Communities for Kids believes that well prepared and informed parents are less likely to mistreat their children.
   
• We operate a Mentor Mothers program based on curriculum designed by Purdue University. This program pairs at risk moms with more experienced mothers who can help them learn parenting and life skills. These skills will help participating women to become better parents and more confident, involved members of the community.
   
• We facilitate community presentations on a variety of topics, including Child Abuse 101 and Shaken Infant Syndrome. The Shaken Infant Syndrome presentations are designed to be given to parents and caregivers, or to teenage students.
   
• We provide informational materials to individuals, public, and private organizations on a variety of parenting, child care, and child abuse topics.

We organize a Blue Ribbon Campaign for Children to bring awareness to the very serious issue of child abuse and neglect. Last year, over 10,000 members of the Hendricks County community wore blue ribbon lapel pins for one week to show their commitment to our county's children.