Cardon Children’s Medical Center awarded nearly $1 million in grant funds
MESA, Ariz. (June 22, 2010) — Cardon Children’s Medical Center will be able to serve more East Valley families with its Pregnancy, Parenting and Play Program thanks to a $971,182 grant awarded by the Southeast Maricopa Regional Council for First Things First.
The grant was awarded on June 15, and will provide one year of funding for the Pregnancy, Parenting and Play Program. This is the second grant awarded to the program by First Things First; the first award totaled $809, 318 and was awarded in August of 2009.
Banner Health is a nonprofit organization that relies heavily on grants and donations to continue leading the Valley in pediatric health care.
“With the current economy, fewer services are available to families in need of support,” said Child Development Manager Goldie Laporte. “First Things First is a great champion for young children and ensures that they are starting life healthy and learning as they grow.”
The Pregnancy, Parenting and Play Program at Cardon Children’s Medical Center has served 250 families from Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek since it began last August; it can serve up to 400 families. The program caters to the needs of pregnant and parenting teens, infants born prematurely and families in crisis.
Services include:
- Prenatal education
- “Baby Bucks” incentive program to purchase car seats, cribs, clothes, diapers and more
- Home visits by child development specialists
- Support for doctor visits
- Information about free resources for families
- Monthly support groups
- Teen parenting classes at Mesa Public Schools
With the latest grant, the Pregnancy, Parenting and Play Program will be able to set up “Baby Bucks” stores at Gilbert and Mesa schools, offer relationship classes for teens, add an operations manager to the staff and possibly offer school credit to students who enroll in the program.
ABOUT CARDON CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER
Located in the fast-growing East Valley of metro Phoenix, Cardon Children’s Medical Center provides comprehensive pediatric care addressing a broad spectrum of children’s health needs. The Banner Health owned and operated facility expanded to 248 beds when patients and staff moved into a new state-of-the-art facility in 2009. For more information on Cardon Children’s Medical Center, visit www.BannerHealth.com/CardonChildrens.
ABOUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
First Things First was created in 2006, when Arizona voters – through the Proposition 203 ballot initiative – decided to set aside 80 cents from each pack of cigarettes sold in order to fund the expansion of education and health programs for children from birth through age five. Under the terms of the proposition, decisions about how to best use the funds are made on a per-region basis by 31 councils made up of local leaders. The statewide board – which has final approval of the councils’ recommendations – is responsible for ensuring that the funds are used on programs proven to work at improving outcomes for children. For more information on First Things First, visit www.azftf.gov
Contact: Lindsay Butler Carrillo
Public Relations Specialist
Cardon Children's Medical Center
480-412-6574 office
602-321-2045 cell
