CHI - St. Francis

Generosity in Every Stitch For parents involved in the CHI St. Francis Health Family Footprints Program, the most treasured mementos of the experience are the unique, handmade baby gifts they get to select during visits with Footprints coordinator Sandy Block-Hansen. Thoughtfully crafted by local volunteers, the gifts— baby hats, booties, and breastfeeding covers—become cherished keepsakes for each family. The women who sew, knit, and crochet the items find joy both in the creative process and in knowing how much their gifts are appreciated. Breckenridge resident Linda Thulen and her fellow Footprints volunteers at United Methodist Church of Breckenridge have made 472 baby hats in two years. Each hat features unique designs and colors—even, on one occasion, a camouflage pattern. Darlene Anderson of Breckenridge has completed 24 pairs of booties so far this year. Agnes Kuntz of Fairmount, North Dakota, has sewn 26 breastfeeding covers for Footprints using fabric that belonged to her late sister. "My sister used to make quilts, and she had a lot of different materials that I use," Agnes says. "I like using the fabric to create things that are going to be appreciated." "Most of us had kind of put knitting aside, but making caps and booties for the Family Footprints Program has given us a reason to take it up again," Linda says. "From what Sandy tells us, the mothers really are tickled when they get these items, and that makes us feel good." CHI St. Francis Health established the Family Footprints Program in 2011 using a violence prevention grant from the CHI Mission and Ministry Fund. The free program is open to all families in the area. "We want to support families in fostering children's healthy development by providing evidence-based parenting information, armation, and connections with community resources they may not be aware of," says Sandy Block-Hansen, coordinator of Footprints. "Everyone who gives birth at CHI St. Francis Health is eligible to participate in the program, and we also receive prenatal referrals from physicians or social services personnel for high-risk families who may have health, nutrition, orsafety needs." Support That Stretches from Hospital to Home The cornerstones of Footprints are the visits Sandy makes with each family. The rst encounter takes place in the hospital after a baby's birth, when Sandy presents the parent(s) with a volunteer-made baby cap (see "Generosity in Every Stitch" for more information about Footprints volunteers) and a swaddler and begins getting a sense of the family's informational interests and needs. After hospital discharge, Sandy follows up with in-home visits. "During these visits, we use the evidence-based Parents as Teachers curriculum to help families explore new ways of caring for their children in terms of attachment, nutrition, safety, sleep, establishing routines, and other aspects of parenting," Sandy says. "Overall, however, the family's interests and well-being guide where we place our educational emphasis. We meet parents where they are rather than where we'd like them to be. The information we provide is quite customized to each family." Sandy also directs families to community resources, such as lactation counseling or social services, based on their needs. Signs of Success In 2014, 96 percent of eligible families consented to enter the Family Footprints Program, but to Sandy, this high acceptance rate isn't the most gratifying indicator of the program's success. "I receive comments from former Footprints participants, such as, 'I have a relative who's going to have a baby, and I told her she needs to connect with Footprints because it's really helped me be a better parent and be successful,'" Sandy says. "Statements like these tell me there are good things going on with this program." For information about the Family Footprints Program, contact Sandy Block-Hansen at 218-643-0475. 3 www.sfcare.org

• Cover