2015 Text4Baby State Enrollment Contest
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- Published on Friday, 10 July 2015 14:28
Since the launch of the nationwide Text4baby campaign, over 19,301 pregnant women and new mothers in Missouri have registered to receive free weekly text messages timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. In Missouri, text messages are customized to provide Missouri-specific telephone numbers and websites. The 2015 Text4baby State Enrollment Contest is now underway to promote this mobile information service that offers critical health and safety information through text messaging. The competition among states continues until October 17, 2015 and is the perfect opportunity to help pregnant and new moms sign up for the service by texting “BABY” (or “BEBE” for Spanish) to 511411. Encourage dads to sign up too. Messages help fathers understand their baby’s development and provide support for their partner. For more information, visit www.text4baby.org or call 800-877-6246. An order form is also available to receive promotional enrollment materials.
Online map help families locate local summer food programs
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- Published on Tuesday, 30 June 2015 17:14
Free meals will be served to low-income children at hundreds of locations in Missouri
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services offers an online map that can help low-income families in Missouri find out where their children can receive free meals this summer.
The interactive map pinpoints hundreds of locations in Missouri where meals will be provided through the state health department’s Summer Food Service Program.
Community organizations serve the meals at schools, churches, parks, swimming pools, YMCA facilities, Boys and Girls Clubs and other spots where children gather when school is not in session.
The meals are provided to children who receive free or reduced price meals during the regular school year. Children do not have to register and there is no fee to participate in the program.
“When school is out for the summer, children who receive meals at school are at risk of not getting the nutrition they need,” said Gail Vasterling, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. “This map makes it easier for families to find out where their children can receive nutritious meals during the summer months. We know good nutrition is essential for effective learning all year long.”
The map is located at www.dhss.mo.gov/sfsp/. The map can be searched by city, county or zip code. For families without access to the Internet, many community libraries have computers the public can use free of charge. More information is also available by calling, toll-free, 1-888-435-1464 or through RELAY MISSOURI for the Hearing and Speech Impaired at 1-800-735-2966.
Meals will be served to children age 18 and under. They are also provided to individuals’ age 18 to 21 that have been determined by a state or local educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled and who participate in an established school program for the mentally or physically disabled.
Funding for the Summer Food Service Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Organizations interested in providing meals through the program can also write to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Summer Food Service Program, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, the Department of Health and Senior Services does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, 20250-9410, or call 800-795-3272 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Track Your Health
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- Published on Monday, 22 June 2015 15:50
SuperTracker can help you plan, analyze, and track your diet and physical activity.
Find out what and how much to eat; track foods, physical activities, and weight; and personalize with goal setting, virtual coaching, and journaling.
Look around or create a profile to get started today!
Not Even for a Minute
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- Published on Monday, 15 June 2015 13:07
The Children’s Trust Fund’s “Not Even For A Minute” Campaign encourages parents and caregivers to NEVER leave children unattended in or around automobiles. Left alone in a vehicle for a short time, a child is in danger of heat stroke, dehydration, overheating, hyperthermia, injury, abduction and even death.
This is a car accident that can be prevented!
Temperatures in cars soar quickly. Even with a window cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach very high and dangerous temperatures within minutes. In these extreme conditions, children can die or suffer a permanent disability in a matter of minutes.
Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock.
- NEVER leave children alone in or around vehicles, not even with the windows down. This applies to pets as well.
- Always keep car keys & remote openers out of reach of children.
- Keep vehicles locked at all times, even at home, & remind your friends & neighbors to do the same. Unlocked cars pose a risk to children who are naturally curious & often fearless.
- Teach your children the dangers of a car & let them know it is not a toy or playground.
- Make your child as visible as possible. Place rear-facing car seats in the middle of the back seat.
- Establish a routine of checking the back seat every time you exit the car to ensure no one is left behind. Don’t overlook sleeping infants.
- Place your child’s diaper bag or a small toy in the front seat to serve as a constant, visible reminder of you child’s presence in the car.
- Place your purse, briefcse or other personal item in the back with the child to serve as an additional reason to check the back seat.
- Ask your babysitter or childcare provider to call you if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
- Try to plan ahead when you have errands. Run errands when your spouse, trusted neighbor or friend can watch your child.
- Remember to use the drive-through convenience provided by banks, dry cleaners, phamacies, restaurants & other businesses.
- Pay at the pump at gas stations.
- When a child is missing, check vehicles & trunks immediately.
- If you see an unnattended child in a car, call 911 immediately.
For additional information, visit: KIDS & CARS and Safe Kids USA
Download our NEFAM print materials