Funding Supports Safe Infant Sleep and Launch of Early Literacy Initiatives in Pediatric Practices
Naples, Fla. – Oct. 3, 2024 – Healthcare Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, accessible healthcare services, has received a $12,500 grant from the Child Christ Society of Naples. The grant will support underserved mothers and children through two initiatives: Pack ‘N Plays to support safe infant sleep and care at home and the launch of book nooks in pediatric offices, encouraging early childhood literacy.
With $7,500 of the grant designated for purchasing 100 Pack ‘N Plays, these portable cribs will provide families in need with a comfortable, safe space for their infant to play and sleep, especially as many underserved families live in shared housing or reside in cramped living conditions. Healthcare Network’s Community Outreach Team will utilize the Pack ‘N Plays as an incentive to enroll eligible families in the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program to encourage WIC participation to ensure that families have access to essential prenatal and postnatal education for safe pregnancies and healthy infants.
The remaining $5,000 of the grant will be used to pilot book nooks in two of Healthcare Network’s pediatric practices at the Nichols Community Health Center in Golden Gate and FSU’s Isabel Collier Read Medical Campus in Immokalee. Children will be able to pick out a book and read it while they wait for their appointment and take it home to continue their literacy journey.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Christ Child Society of Naples for their generous support,” said Jamie Ulmer, CEO of Healthcare Network. “With this funding, we can provide Pack ‘N Plays to families in need, ensuring infants have a safe space to sleep, and we can promote early literacy through our book nooks, supporting children’s cognitive and social development—both of which are essential for their health and future success.”
Healthcare Network is committed to improving the health and well-being of underserved communities in Collier County. To learn more about the programs or how you can support initiatives like these, please visit HealthcareSWFL.org.
About Healthcare Network
For more than 45 years, Healthcare Network has distinguished itself by providing primary health care to men, women and children of all ages, helping the disenfranchised, underinsured, and uninsured of our communities, as well as those with insurance and resources who recognize the quality and comprehensiveness of care available. The organization has grown from two small trailers in Immokalee to a network of providers located throughout Collier County. Primary healthcare services include family care, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, senior care, dental care and pharmacy as well as integrated and traditional behavioral health for both adults and children. Additionally, the organization’s community health workers bring health and social services directly to underserved families. For more information, visit www.HealthcareSWFL.org, or to schedule an appointment, please call 239-658-3000.
