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Lakes Life Care in FL expands services |
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Wednesday, 12 March 2008 |
Jennifer Larson
Community Editor
Not only is the Earn While You Learn program at Lakes Life Care Center in Forest Lake educational for parents but it is also rewarding.
In the past, the center has only offered free pregnancy tests to single or married women, peer counseling for situational problems or expecting parents whether the child was planned or not, as well as material assistance.
According to volunteer Elaine Smith, there was really no opportunity to make any long-term impact on the clients’ lives. But a little over a year ago, Lakes Life Care implemented the Earn While You Learn program for single mothers and couples.
She said the program is the chance volunteers were looking for to teach clients practical life skills such as balancing a check book and creating a budget and equipping them with the tools to be the best parent possible.
From that bond students develop with their mentors, Smith said they are able to acquire knowledge and converse with an experienced parent.
“Parenting is an incredible responsibility,” she added, “a lot of people want to know what they can expect.”
Participants earn 3 “bucks” or coupons by attending a weekly one-on-one class with a trained volunteer instructor, which can be saved or spent at the “Stork’s Nest,” a large room in the center filled floor to ceiling with items for the baby from clothes, quilts and blankets to toys, formula, diapers and wet wipes.
There are even maternity clothes for expecting mothers and outfits for those returning back to the workforce after giving birth.
Earn While You Learn includes written curriculum and videos like The First Years Last Forever. Each module lasts four weeks in length, and not every session has a video. In addition to brochures and booklets to read, Smith said there is stimulating homework too.
“The class can be taken by first time parents or those with subsequent children,” she said.
Smith said each session is typically two hours or less depending on the lesson and the amount of discussion. There is no charge to participate in the Earn While You Learn program or financial guidelines.
And single mothers or couples don’t have to be struggling to make ends meet or in a difficult transition either. She said it can be a desire to “learn how to take care of baby from conception as if it’s already in their arms.”
Currently, Smith said there are 10 sets of parents going through the class now. Although Lakes Life Care Center is open weekdays from 1-5 p.m., she noted that interested individuals can call to set up an appointment for a time other than office hours – whether that is in the morning or evening.
“Once people start, they want to keep going,” Smith said, referring to different modules.
She said the center is also saving money to purchase an ultrasound machine sometime this year. There will be a trained volunteer nurse on staff with a physician providing supervision.
The “Baby Bottle Campaign” fund raiser is underway at area churches to help the non-profit organization meet their goal. Smith said local businesses and residents have donated much of the material items in the Stork’s Nest. If the father attends class with the mother, they will earn twice as many bucks to be spent there.
Lakes Life Care Center is located at 155 S. Lake St. For more information, call (651) 464-4340.
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