New Parent Resources
New Parent Resource Bundle Package
The purpose of this New Parent Resource Bundle Package is to give families the full access to resources that are free and available to them throughout the city of Stamford.
For new and second time parents Stamford Cradle to Career has composed a comprehensive list of resources. All resources are free of charge and available in both English and Spanish. No insurance or proof of legal status is required. Families will be given a hyperlinked QR code which has a Stamford Cradle to Career code leading them to our website where they can access these lists of resources. Once families sign up for home visiting services, they will be eligible for a $25 gift card.
Parenting Support / Home Visiting Programs in Stamford:
- Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut [Child First] –Child First is a national, evidence-based model that provides both prevention and clinical intervention services for young children (prenatal to 5 years) and their caregivers within their home or community. We work to support the caregiver-child relationship by co-creating opportunities for mutual delight through connection and play while also making sure that caregivers have access to all of the community resources and supports that they need. For more information contact: Christina Miller, Child First Assistant Director. Contact information: millerch@chc1.com Tel:959-255-0992
- Family Centers [Parents as Teachers]– The Parents as Teachers (PAT) program helps parents manage the challenges of pregnancy and parenthood. PAT utilizes a nationally recognized, evidence-based curriculum to provide parents the skills needed to foster their children’s social, emotional and physical development. Intensive home visits and case management services are provided by trained parent educators. For more information contact: Carmen Izaguirre-Medina. OEC-PAT Intake Coordinator at 203.324.3167 ext. 4112 or CIzaguirre-Medina@familycenters.org
- Help for Kids [Healthy Families America]– Healthy Families America (HFA) offers home visiting programs to families to help form early, nurturing relationships with their baby for the foundation of healthy development.
Maternal Help hotline:
- HRSA Maternal and Child Health – Assure access to high-quality and equitable health services to optimize health and well-being for all Maternal and Child Health (MCH) populations.
Parent Support:
St. Joseph’s Parenting Center– Saint Joseph’s Parenting Center equips parents with the education, tools and resources to change unhealthy parenting patterns and to foster healthy ones in an effort to decrease the incidence of child abuse and neglect.
WIC – Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
- The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as the WIC Program, provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, nutrition education, and breastfeeding promotion and support to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.
- To Find Providers in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:
Search by service name: WIC
Developmental:
- Sparkler– Developmental screening app that track a child’s developmental progress from 0-5 years of age. Parents can get connected to services to help build up their child’s development and reach their full potential.
- Books from Ferguson Library– New parents receive books they can read with their new baby to develop a love for reading.
- 211 Child Development — United Way 211 Child Development (211ct.org) 211 Child Development is a specialized unit of United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut. Care Coordinators are available to answer the phone Monday through Friday from 8am-6pm, except on holidays. Messages can be left 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are returned promptly. This service is free and confidential, with multi-lingual and TTY capacity.
Health Insurance:
- HUSKY is health insurance that helps people with low income pay some or all of their medical bills. HUSKY A, C, and D are also known as Medicaid, and HUSKY B is also called CHIP or SCHIP.
- I. HUSKY A (or Medicaid) – For children in families with limited income. Parents, relative caregivers and pregnant women
may also be eligible. - II. HUSKY B (or Children’s Health Insurance Program) – For children in families with higher incomes.
- To apply online, please visit AccessHealthCT.com
- To apply by phone, please call 855-394-2428 (TTY: 855-789-2428)
- For general information about HUSKY Health, please visit www.ct.gov/Husky
Call 1-877-CT-HUSKY (877-284-8759) to learn more about HUSKY.
Nutrition:
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally-funded program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). SNAP offers nutrition assistance to eligible individuals and families and allows recipients to purchase healthy, nutritious food at participating entities.
- Not on SNAP and want to learn if you may qualify? Your household may be eligible to receive SNAP benefits. Call 866-974-SNAP (7627) or visit www.ctsnap.org
Healthy Food Savings
Healthy Savings – The Healthy Savings card provides individuals or families with $10 every week, free, to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating stores. Local stores include Stop & Shop and Walmart and the $10 can be spent on any fresh fruits or vegetables of your choosing. To apply, create an account on Prosperi-Key (details above), then fill out the quick Google Form on the Healthy Savings page. (Limit one card per household.)
Childcare:
- Care4Kids– Care 4 Kids helps low to moderate income families in Connecticut pay for childcare costs. This program is sponsored by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. Information and links provided below.
Am I Eligible? – CT Care 4 Kids – Link to the prescreen eligibility tool and online application
Submit Information – CT Care 4 Kids – Link to upload documentation
Family Information – CT Care 4 Kids
Links and Resources – CT Care 4 Kids
Families can contact Care4Kids at 1-888-214-5437 Monday-Wednesday & Friday 8:00am-5:00pm and Thursday 8:00am-6:00pm
- 211 Child Care – 2-1-1 Child Care is Connecticut’s statewide child care resource and referral agency. 2-1-1 Child Care provides free, confidential referrals to child care programs.
211 Childcare – Link to search for childcare
Parent Resources – 211 Child Care
Families can contact 211 Child Care for resources & referrals at 1-800-505-1000 from 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Friday.
Other Childcare Resources:
- All Our Kin – Where do you begin? All Our Kin has created the Provider Showcase, which gives parents access to easy-to-understand information, all in one place, about local family child care options.
Savings:
- Prosperi-Key – The Prosperi-Key website is an online hub for community resources. Many local businesses offer promotions and discounts to Prosperi-Key’s “Key Members.” By creating an account on Prosperi-Key, you can also access and sign up for many of United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut’s programs, including ALICE Saves and Healthy Savings. To get started, visit www.prosperikey.org and click “Apply Today”!
- ALICE – The acronym “ALICE” stands for “Asset-Limited, Income-Constricted, and Employed.” ALICE families have an annual household income that falls above the Federal Poverty Line but may still be struggling to make ends meet.
- ALICE Saves – is a free program for Connecticut residents that helps build financial well-being. New savers earn a $20 match for saving $60 every three months and receive a $25 gift card just for signing up! For more information, visit www.CTALICEsaves.org or call United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut at (203) 792-5330.
- Through ALICE Saves, you can also receive free financial coaching with TrustPlus. To schedule a 30-minute session with a coach of your choice at a time convenient to you, text AliceSaves to (645) 349-5959.
- ALICE Enrichment Fund – Through the ALICE Enrichment Fund, eligible families can receive up to $300 per child (up to $900 per family) for afterschool or summer enrichment activities. To apply, call Person-to-Person in Stamford at (203) 655-0048 and ask to speak with a caseworker.
Are you having trouble accessing these services? Have questions? Do you have any other resources you would like to share? Are you just looking for someone to talk to? Get in touch with Danielle Walker, our Community Coordinator, at danielle.walker@uwwesternct.org