The Vilas County Health Department offers free home or office visits to new moms to help them, and their babies get off to a healthy start.
Through this service, the health department noticed a common thread. Young families say it’s hard to connect socially with other families in the area.
To help bring families together, the health department is launching the Growing Together support group.
“We have seen other counties do similar groups before. Through some of our other events and programs we do, like a home visitation program, and we did the community baby shower in the spring, it became evident that we need to reach out to these populations a little bit more and help them become aware of the resources that we have in our area,” said Stephanie Van Netta, the Vilas County Public Health Assistant Director.
The group will meet the second Thursday of every month from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. at the Olson Memorial Library in Eagle River.
Each meeting will have an activity or project that children can do with their grown-up.
“We encourage parents or guardians or grandparents or whoever's watching the child to bring them to the event,” said Van Netta. “It's just a fun way to get to know other families in the area, get to know the resources, and also to connect with your own children.”
Throughout the year, there will be educational and supportive opportunities on topics like mental health, nutrition and physical activity, immunizations, lead safety, and breast feeding.
Since the group will be meeting during the school day, Van Netta expects it will be more families with children under the age of 5, but says all children are welcome with their families.
The first meeting is this Thursday.
You can just show up, but Van Netta says they’d appreciate it if people RSVP by calling the health department at 715-479-3743.
Support for local health coverage on WXPR is brought to you in part by a grant from the Rhinelander Health Foundation.
