On a sunny Thursday afternoon in the middle of May, dozens of families gathered in Pontiac’s Mattie McKinney Hatchett Park at a picnic shelter. The park, located right next to Brilliant Pontiac, was a buzz. The aroma of Middle Eastern food permeated the space, joined by the excited cries of children. There were babies and toddlers abound, on the play structure, drawing with chalk, chasing balls, and nestled in their parents’ laps. The occasion was a Play and Learn, a program that each of our Brilliant Cities hubs host for toddlers and parents. The twist this time around was that the families in attendance had never been to or even had heard of Brilliant Pontiac. All the attendees were either staff or participating families of Nurse Family Partnership (NFP).
The collaboration could not have been more ideal. Nurse-Family Partnership is a free program for first-time, low income mothers. NFP is a national organization that is run through the Oakland County Health Division locally. Families are paired with registered nurses who provide personalized care via home visits. Nurses support the families in an ongoing manner from pre-birth until the child is two years old. Care is highly personalized, with a specific nurse being assigned to a family throughout the pregnancy and first couple years after birth. NFP staff not only provide parenting support, they also connect families with community resources. In many ways, their model of listening, providing custom care, and leveraging community resources and partnerships mirrors the work of Brilliant Pontiac and Brilliant Cities at large.
Marybeth from NFP commented on the similarities between her organization and Brilliant Pontiac as well as the ways in which our work naturally supports one another’s. She highlighted the fact that Brilliant Pontiac is embedded in the neighborhood providing ease of access. She mentioned that Nurse Family Partnership’s clients can feel isolated, navigating their first pregnancy and that opportunities for socialization, for both parents and babies, are crucial. Brilliant Pontiac’s Play and Learn collaboration with NFP provided exactly that.
Brilliant Pontiac’s staff Bianca and Judy invited the attending families on tours of the hub, lifting up programs for new parents and resources like food, clothing, and diaper giveaways. Families were surprised to see all the thoughtfully decorated spaces in the hub, everything from a breastfeeding room to large spaces for group exercises. As they walked out, the NFP families were able to fill out household welcome forms, becoming Brilliant Pontiac families and staying in the loop about future programs.
Back outside, the once bountiful food spread had been reduced to a few take home containers of leftovers. The Nurse Family Partnership drew names for raffle prizes including tricycles and kid-sized picnic benches. Families gathered their prizes and giveaways to return home. Ultimately, it was more of a see you later than a goodbye, now that all of these new parents connected with Brilliant Pontiac.
Thank you Nurse Family Partnership for your ongoing support and collaboration!