Civic Organizations

Here are some examples of local civic groups getting involved with young children:

• Florida District of Kiwanis International has stepped forward on two occasions to help the Department of Health raise the percentage of infants under 2 years old who have been fully immunized. The Tallahassee Northside Kiwanis Club and the Tallahassee Kiwanis Club have been especially active in projects such as Shots by 2 to remind parents by postcard and telephone when their babies' shots were due. Other clubs around the state carried on similar projects. The percentage of infants under 2 with all their shots passed 85 percent in '05 and is headed for over 90 percent. When infant immunizations began to slip, the Department of Health called on Kiwanis and Dr. Wil Blechman of Miami, former president of Kiwanis International, for help.

• Diaper Drop is a program conducted by Kiwanis clubs in Tallahassee, Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition, Second Harvest Food Bank, Wal-Mart, and others to provide diapers for needy families. They collect the diapers and provide them to non-profit organizations that serve women and infants such as ECHO. No baby should have to sleep in a wet diaper.

How can your organization help?

• Establish a mentoring program with a local child care provider

• Assist with providing child seat safety programs

• Help to provide medical exams for young children

• Work within your own business to become a Family Friendly Worksite

• Assist the United Way of the Big Bend in their annual campaign

• Educate your members through having a speaker form Whole Child Gadsden to discuss the mission of the project

• Join the Whole Child Gadsden Leadership Council

• Let your imagination run and find the perfect project for your organization – Contact Whole Child Gadsden.