One of the best things about summer is seeing how our community members come together to celebrate the season and spend time with family and friends. Utah County remains unique in the way that it focuses on strengthening families and supporting our youngest community members. We live in one of the youngest counties in the nation, and it is always heartening to see how our neighbors and friends come together to support the children in our community. The old adage “It takes a village to raise a child” remains true in Utah County.

Parenting can be difficult, especially for new parents. Navigating the changes that come with parenthood is challenging. Having someone there to help you adapt to those changes can be a lifesaver, particularly when parents feel overwhelmed. That’s why programs like United Way of Utah County’s Welcome Baby program are so important for our community.

Welcome Baby provides individual home visits to help empower new parents. Trained volunteers visit new parents and offer information about important health-related topics for mothers and babies. Home visitors also talk to parents about early child development and school readiness as well as provide information about community resources. These dedicated volunteers have answered thousands of parent questions and helped hundreds of families prepare to give their children a healthy and happy beginning.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Welcome Baby program,” said Stephanie Anderson, senior director of EveryDay Learners. “Every volunteer makes a difference in the lives of so many children and families in our community. We even have some volunteers who have been with us for more than 10 years, and we can see the immense impact they have had over that time.”

Welcome Baby volunteers have always provided a key service to families, particularly those who may live far away from family members or who need additional mentors as they begin their parenting journey. Over the past few years, we have all seen how important these connections are. None of us can truly thrive without the support of others. And when we are dealing with significant life changes like the birth of a child, we need the help of others to make sure we are learning essential skills for this new stage in life.

Giving our kids a strong foundation from the earliest days is so important. Early child development is crucial for things like success in school and emotional resilience as they grow older. Welcome Baby visitors can build new parent’s confidence is their own abilities to connect with their children and identify areas where additional child development support may be needed. The relationships and connections built between these volunteers and the families they visit are incredibly valuable.

Of course, none of this great work would be possible without strong partnerships and community support. United Way’s Welcome Baby program began as a partnership with the Utah County Health Department. Their Welcome Baby program was originally designed to support high-risk mothers; when United Way partnered with the program, we were able to expand its reach to ensure that any family wishing to participate could receive these life-changing home visits. United Way is pleased to have partnered with the Utah County Health Department for over a decade to help ensure that new parents can access the resources they need to feel confident in their skills and give their children the best start in life.

Changing lives and supporting children doesn’t have to be complicated. Becoming a home visitor is simple — all you need to do is sign up! Welcome Baby staff provide all the training needed for new volunteers, and volunteers can complete the training at their own pace. After training, volunteers can do as many home visits per month as they choose, and there are even options to do virtual home visits if that is more appropriate for the volunteer. Home visits typically last for about 45 minutes. The volunteer schedule is flexible, and it is such a rewarding experience for both the volunteers and the families.

If you are looking for a way to help local families, I invite you to sign up today to become a Welcome Baby volunteer. Doing so is easy, and the impact you will have will change lives — maybe even your own. As we work together to support the children and parents in our lives, we are truly strengthening our community. We each have a role to play in our “village.” What role will you have in changing the lives of children and families in Utah County?

To learn more about Welcome Baby or to sign up as a volunteer, please visit unitedwayuc.org.