Great Start GA provides support for expecting parents - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Great Start GA provides support for expecting parents

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By Suzanne Bratton - bio | email

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COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) -

Great Start Georgia is a local organization that connects families with community services and support.

Its goal is to improve the well-being of Georgia's children and families by ensuring they are educated, healthy, safe and growing.

Muscogee County is one of only seven counties throughout Georgia to receive government funding for this project.

Their main focus is not only giving children up to five years old a great start in life, but also empowering the mother.

"Whether it's going back to school, finding a job, getting her G.E.D, finding housing, or even getting some government support such as TANF and WIC," said Notoya Scott, nurse supervisor. "So we try to make sure that mom is doing fine so baby can do well, as well."

Program manager and parent educator Tammy Keith explains why this support system Great Start Georgia provides is so important to the family unit.

"For me, it is very personal that when you have a parent or a family that has young children no family, no parent is in isolation - they have to have some support," said Keith.

Amanda Bartlett says she and her husband were great aunts and uncles, but Great Start Georgia showed them what they needed to know to be great parents.

"We knew nothing about being a parent and they have pretty much morphed me and my husband in to super-parents. They taught us everything that we ever needed to know from hygiene to baby-care to pretty much anything that we didn't know, They put us through a crash course. It's one phone call and it has changed our lives and it's given her the best start she could ever have."

if you are a new parent or expecting and would like help from Great Start Georgia. You can reach its office at 1-855-707-8277.

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