Raising happy, healthy children takes a village, which is why Temple Health recently teamed up with some of our trusted community partners to host two baby showers for our neighbors. These events were a chance for local parents to learn about the services at Temple Women & Families, receive free health screenings and education, and connect with resources in our community.
“As we lead the way in maternal health and wellness in Philadelphia by opening Temple Women & Families, we’re also partnering with the organizations that are on the ground doing this work,” says Sharon Kurfuerst, EdD, OTR/L, FACHE, Executive Director of Temple Women & Families.
Those include maternal wellness coalition Cocolife.black, which held its fourth annual Community Baby Shower at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church on March 30th. Our Pediatrics providers were there to provide the 300+ attendees with information about care at Temple Women & Families, while our Population Health team offered free screenings through our Healthy Together Mobile Vehicle.
"This baby shower is really a mainstay in the community,” explains Aliya Khabir, Marketing Manager for Community Health. “There were maternal wellness workshops, as well as resume training, a self-care tent where you could get a massage, and gently-used clothing from Enon’s Women’s Closet. The goal was to be a one-stop shop for those who need support in parenthood.”
Just a few weeks later, we partnered with the Oshun Family Center to host its annual Community Baby Shower at Temple Women & Families on April 12th. At this carnival-themed event, community members could meet with team members from Pediatrics, Radiology, OB/GYN, and other services.
“We want people to know that, in addition to receiving their prenatal and maternity care here, they can have their MRIs and CT scans and pediatrics appointments at Temple Women & Families as well,” says Kim Hanson, BSN, MHA, RNC-OB, NEA-BC, VP and Chief Nursing Officer of Temple Women & Families. “How great is it that you can have your prenatal appointment, and your two-year-old can have their checkup right next door?”
“We wanted to make everything as convenient as possible,” Khabir adds. “We have a WIC office on-site, and we’re working on establishing offices for other community partners that provide resources to parents.”
Attendees could learn about those resources at the April 12th baby shower (in addition to enjoying a food truck, a DJ, and games), as team members from a host of local organizations were on-site to meet with them.
“The Oshun Family Center is always talking about needing a village to raise a child,” Khabir says. “And at this baby shower, we brought the village to the moms.”
