New Hello Family Spartanburg Website Supports Spartanburg Families

Got a child under the age of 5 in your household or is someone in your family expecting? There’s a new resource for you and your family! Hello Family Spartanburg is designed to help answer questions about your child’s development, offer support, and connect you to resources and services. In this article, you’ll learn more about the goals of Hello Family Spartanburg, who they serve, and how their resources can help you and your family.

“It takes a village.” If you have children, you’ve probably heard this phrase. And if there was ever a time when our villages may have been disrupted, this is probably it. However, there’s a new resource in town designed to help support families and fill some of the gaps in their proverbial villages.

The goal of Hello Family Spartanburg is to offer support to families with children under the age of 5. Why age 5? Children under the age of 5 have brains and bodies that grow at a rapid pace and many of the building blocks for their future are crafted then. For example, 80% of brain growth happens during just the first three years of life! Early childhood development is linked to educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation, according to most educational research, including that of the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child. Today, there are about 20,000 kids under the age of 5 in Spartanburg County.

Funded through support from the City of Spartanburg, Mary Black Foundation, The Community Outcomes Fund at Maycomb Capital, Institute for Child Success, and several others, Hello Family Spartanburg is a resource hub for parents and families, especially with children under the age of 5 .

Keisha Gray, Program Director for Early Childhood Development at the Mary Black Foundation, explains why Hello Family is so important for Spartanburg families and the community: “Hello Family creates an opportunity for every child in Spartanburg to receive a strong start in the first five years of life. When families are well supported and have what they need to ensure their children’s optimal health and well-being, our families and our community are better for it.”

Hello Family Spartanburg launched this month and it hopes to bolster families’ villages in three ways. They invite families to: get in touch, check out resources, and find local help if needed.

Get In Touch

Parenting is not a job for the weak and sometimes you need backup! Hello Family Spartanburg has you covered. They want families to reach out when they have questions. Their resources are designed for families with kids from prenatal through age 5 and topics can run a broad spectrum. Child development. Early learning. Childcare. Health. Developmental screening. Parenting classes. Housing. Food banks. Help with paying bills. These are just a few of the topics Hello Family Spartanburg is poised to tackle.

So, how do you get in touch? There is a form on their website or families can text or call 864.606.9908. They are available via email at [email protected]. Once you reach out to Hello Family Spartanburg, one of their early childhood professionals will respond to your inquiry and help you get the information and support you need.

Check Out Resources

The Hello Family Spartanburg website also acts as a hub for a range of community resources, focused on children from before birth through age 5. The resources listed are only the beginning, so get in touch to learn more about resources, both local and state- wide.

Prenatal & Newborn Resources

Prenatal or newborn resources include BirthMatters and Family Connects. BirthMatters is a program that connects pregnant mothers with a doula who will work with a family through the child’s first birthday. Family Connects serves all parents through home visits after their baby is born.

Parent Support and Education

For children between the ages of 0-5, resources include Help Me Grow, text4baby, The Palmetto Basics, and the Triple P Positive Parenting Program. Help Me Grow offers information about developmental milestones and screening. text4baby is a program that sends important information about pregnancy and newborns via text to expecting mothers. The Palmetto Basics is an educational resource that springboards from five evidence-based parenting and caregiving principles. The Triple P Program consists of parenting classes and individual support that strive to give parents a toolbox of effective parenting strategies.

Early Care and Learning

Early learning resources include Quality Counts, which strives to promote excellence in early care and learning centers. Quality Counts can provide parents with a list of local high-quality child care options. Another resource highlighted by Hello Family Spartanburg is Reach Out & Read with which a network of pediatric clinicians provides families with the tools they need to make reading and storytelling part of daily family routines.

Find Local Help

Hello Family Spartanburg also leverages statewide resources, such as those highlighted by scparents.org, a website maintained by the Children’s Trust of South Carolina.

With Hello Family Spartanburg, the goal is to create a continuum of services for all children from prenatal care through age five. Any families residing in Spartanburg are encouraged to reach out, ask questions, and learn more about parenting and the range of resources available.

Learn More About Hello Family Spartanburg

Got kids? Learn more about all of the services available to you and your family through Hello Family Spartanburg:

Hello Family Spartanburg
864.606.9908
[email protected]

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