NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A program helping babies live long, healthy lives in Nashville is expanding.
For five years, Nashville Strong Babies has helped parents get access to things that can make parenting a little easier. Things like diapers, car seats, books, transportation support, and even just advice.
We discuss how all of this going to work in the player above.
With $5.5 million from the federal government, Nashville Strong Babies will now be available to any Nashville parent of a new baby. The tiered case management services for pregnant, post-partum, and parenting families were originally just for those in the following seven zip code areas:
- 37207
- 37208
- 37210
- 37216
- 37115
- 37218
- 37221
"I mean you can't just say this area or that area is struggling," said Indigo Harris, a mother. "Like I know women all throughout that look like me, you and everybody. I'm so happy they're able to expand."
A year ago, I met mom and culinary creator Indigo Harris for the first time. At the Nashville Strong Babies announcement, she shared the podium with the mayor.
"I really did battle postpartum depression so so bad. I didn't know how I was going to get past the first month of motherhood," Harris said.
There are no income requirements and any family who is expecting a child, recently delivered, or parenting a child up to 18 months of age is eligible for support services.
More than 1,300 families have been supported by Nashville Strong Babies since 2019.
Metro has tracked the success of this program and says it has contributed to a 5% reduction in deaths of African American infants.
Maternal mortality is unacceptably high across the country, so we looked at pregnancy-related deaths, which Nashville Strong Babies is also trying to curb.
For people of my generation, in our younger days we spent part of our weekends watching music shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train. That was before the age of music videos. Several years before Soul Train was syndicated out of Chicago, another syndicated R&B show was taped in Nashville at NewsChannel 5. Night Train aired in the 60s and included what may have been the first TV appearance for legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Forrest Sanders has another great look back at station history.
-Lelan Statom
