March 17, 2006

93% of children in United Way mentoring programs improve their grades! That's what matters.

A Mentoring Recruitment Day was held March 14th in partnership with the Lake Wales Charter School District, Big Brothers Big Sisters and a number of important community partners. Sixty-five children with school-based-mentor matches took part in a morning of activities on the Warner Southern Campus in Lake Wales. The Lake Wales Police Department, US Army Personnel, Big Brothers Big Sisters and students of Warner Southern College manned stations of games and displays where children with their mentors made kites, interacted with police K-9 and played volleyball.

The day was part of a year long effort initiated by School Superintendent Dr. Clint Wright to raise 125 school-based-mentors to support the education process. The Police Department pledged at least five mentors for the program and wanted to use a community day to link officers with the idea. Some 80 Mentors are matched now from Citizen Bank, Florida's Natural Growers, Lake Wales High School and Warner Southern College.

Dr. Wright said, "We wanted to make a change in our community so I called on United Way of Central Florida." United Way requires partners to submit to strict programming and financial standards so was able to identify an existing partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has a 93% success rate in helping improve children's grades. With as little as an hour a week, mentors help to increase a child's ability to succeed in school by talking, reading, and encouraging.

United Way of Central Florida served 1,556 children in 2005 through four mentoring and tutoring partnerships throughout Polk, Hardee and Highlands Counties. With your help and because of the effectiveness of these programs we have a goal to increase the number of children served by 30%.

If you'd like to know more about United Way mentoring programs please call Scott Lonsberry, Community Projects Manager & Analyst at 863.648.1500 x241 or e-mail scottL@uwcf.org.

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Posted by Scott Lonsberry

March 15, 2006

In the past 12 months, seven babies in Highlands and Polk counties have died from suffocation as a result of a roll over or while bed sharing. Many parents and caregivers are unaware of the hidden hazards of bed sharing. The NICHD and AAP have developed the following safe sleep techniques to reduce the risk of infant deaths due to accidental suffocation and SIDS:
 Always place your baby to sleep on his or her back, never on side or stomach.
 Do not smoke around any baby or during pregnancy.
 Keep your baby's sleep area free of soft, fluffy bedding and stuffed toys.
 Use a firm mattress and safety approved crib.
 Keep blankets and others coverings away from your baby's nose and mouth and avoid overdressing baby with layers of clothing.
 Never sleep with a baby in any bed or allow a baby to sleep with another adult or child even if they are twins.
 All babies should be returned to their own crib after nursing or comforted.
 When using a portable crib or playpen be sure to use only the mattress or pad provided by the manufacturer.
 Make sure everyone who cares for your baby knows safe sleep techniques.

For more information, please call the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties, Inc. at 863-297-3043.

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