A Community Rallies Around Pregnant and Parenting Families

The 100 Families Initiative in Drew County hosted a community alliance meeting about how to help families in crisis navigate pregnancy and postpartum. The event brought together healthcare professionals, nonprofit leaders, and family advocates to share vital resources available to pregnant and parenting families in Southeast Arkansas.

As the executive director of Hope Place of Monticello, Brandy Davis gave insight to her work on the front lines of maternal and infant health.

“Most people don’t understand, they are eager to learn, especially new moms,” Davis emphasized. “They really are eager to learn, and they just need somebody to teach them how to care for their infant.”

Hope Place offers video-based parenting classes, access to a baby store with essentials, a car seat education program, meals, and ongoing support—often forming long-term relationships with mothers.

Davis' comments sparked a shared belief among the other panelists and attendees: By connecting parents with the right services at the right time—and wrapping support around them from multiple angles—communities can reduce infant mortality, empower parents, and build stronger, healthier families.

In addition to Davis, the panel featured four other local experts. Each panelist shared practical guidance and an overview of their program’s role in supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenting—especially those navigating crisis, poverty, or a lack of access to care.

Etoya Williams, RN, from the Drew County Health Unit, provided an overview of the WIC program, which serves pregnant women, infants, and children up to age five with nutritional support, health screenings, and education.

Angela Anderson shared details about the Baby & Me Program, which offers one-on-one educational sessions focused on safe sleep, infant care, and postpartum wellness. Anderson added that pack-and-plays are provided free of charge by this program.

Tawana Wainwright with Mainline Health Systems spoke about her work as a maternal health community health worker, following patients from pregnancy through two years postpartum. She described home visits, social determinants of health screenings, and referrals to behavioral health providers or resources like diapers and car seats.

Wainwright believes that reaching out to families of small children is essential to their success, even if they are not in crisis. “Some people don’t need help... They just like when we reach out—just that phone call, just to know someone’s checking in on them.”

Anderson too, emphasized the importance of mental health and self-care.

“We talk about the stress," Anderson began. "We talk about anxiety and depression... If it’s needed, please encourage them to get [treatment] because they need to be able to function in order to take care of their babies.”

Renee Powell concluded the panel by highlighting her work as a certified car seat technician. She explained how Arkansas Children’s Hospital partners with local organizations to host car seat drives, offer education, and distribute a range of safety supplies. “Our whole goal—and I really believe in this—is it’s all about safety. It’s about injury prevention.”

Powell also advocated for increased access to statewide resources and encouraged community members to utilize programs like Resource Connect and the Purple Crying Program for new parents dealing with inconsolable infants.

When a community wraps around families with compassion, resources, and consistent support, it shows them they are not alone. As a result, both families and the entire community thrive—and children are safer.

As Davis put it, “It’s establishing that connection with them and a relationship so that if they are having difficulties or going through a hard time, they are comfortable coming to us, and reaching out, whether it’s for postpartum depression, or they just need somebody to sit and talk to hold their baby because they need a break.”

That kind of connection is what builds stronger families—and a stronger Drew County.