The Rotary Club of Port Arthur partnered with the Family Nurse Partnership program, a state-funded program that seeks to impact the lives of first-time, low-income pregnancies. 

The donation of $4,000 will help over 50 parents and infants with the purchase of Pack and Play Yards. Those in need can apply to the Port Arthur Health Department website. 

“On behalf of the Port Arthur health department, we are truly grateful for the Rotary Foundation and for our Rotary club to partner with us over the last few years with the car seats and this year with the pack and place play yards,” said Judith Smith director of health service for Port Arthur. 

The donation comes as part of the Infant Safe Sleep Program, a program aiming toward the reduction of preventable infant deaths in Jefferson County.

“Back in 2018 when we started the coalition we realized that there were a lot of preventable infant deaths in our community,” said WIC Director Cristina Patterson. “In fact, there were 67% of the infant deaths that happened in our community were preventable and of that, two-thirds of them were related to safe sleep practices.”

Patterson mentions how many families in the area may not be able to afford cribs or assume older cribs from past decades are safe. Through the programs offered by the Port Arthur Health Department, the aim is to help and educate these new and existing parents on the importance of creating a safe sleep environment for infants.  

The Rotary Club has also made similar previous donations to the Port Arthur Health Department such as money for child car seats.

The Healthy Mothers and Babies of Jefferson County, established in 2018 will continue to host and provide aid through webinars and events throughout Jefferson County. Dates and times are available on Port Arthur’s website.