On May 21st at Vern Burton Community Center, the Clallam Perinatal Mental Health Task Force, chaired by First Step, hosted the first annual Community Connection Baby Shower, a resource fair that promoted the well-being of our community by celebrating expecting and new families. Participants met local providers, learned skills to strengthen their emotional well-being, developed social connections, and tapped into educational experiences to help them along their journey into parenthood.

Participants attended classes for family communication strategies, a question and answer session with OB providers, parenting and fathering tips, an introduction to breathwork, wellness and self-care, and pelvic floor strengthening. Car seat checks were also available in the parking lot at Vern Burton. Also offered were free diapers and supplies for babies, a photo booth, and door prizes.

60 individuals from partnering agencies attended and hosted a booth and/or an activity with an additional 11 volunteers from the community. Not only did local agencies have the opportunity to meet new families and provide resource connections, but they also gained stronger relationships across the family support network in Clallam and Jefferson Counties.

Program Manager Kelsi Millet thanked community partners, stating, “We would like to thank community partners for the collaborative efforts put forth in successfully creating and implementing the Community Connection Baby Shower! Over 98 families attended the event. Your expertise and partnership are what made this successful. Thank you for investing in the well-being of our community & families. It has been a pleasure working on this project with each of you and we look forward to continued collaboration.”

The Clallam Perinatal Mental Health Task Force meets quarterly to increase community capacity to address perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. To join a meeting or to learn more, email Kelsi Millet at Kelsi_fstep@olypen.com.

Approximately one-third of families nationwide are unable to afford the diapers they need to keep their baby clean and dry, typically an $80-$100 cost per child per month.

Through funding provided by the Washington State Department of Commerce, First Step has transformed its emergency diaper program into a robust Diaper Bank network across the Olympic Peninsula offering substantial diaper assistance for families in both Clallam and Jefferson counties at multiple convenient locations.

First Step started offering the broader diaper services in April of this year, and since that time has distributed over 64,000 diapers to clients, accompanied by almost 800 packages of baby wipes. Each child in need is allowed up to two large sleeves of diapers and two packages of wipes per month, a dramatic health and economic benefit to families facing financial shortages.

With the addition of generous community donations, First Step has been able to distribute 63 cans of infant formula since April 2022, in spite of the troubling formula crisis throughout the earlier part of this year.

Diaper and supply pickup locations are located at First Step Drop-In Center during normal Drop-In hours, YMCA Port Townsend during limited office hours, and Brinnon Community Center. Other locations are offering First Step sourced diapers to their current clients, including North Olympic Healthcare Network, Jamestown Healing Clinic, and Jefferson Healthcare.

Funding provided by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families for concrete goods brought safety equipment to the supply depots. Funding provided by United Healthcare has been used to for infant carriers. Families have received baby gates, high chairs, strollers, infant carriers, and breastfeeding support products.

For more information about diapers and supplies, or to donate or partner with us, contact Kelsi Millet at (360) 457-8355 or Kelsi_fstep@olypen.com

After waving a fond farewell to a beloved leader, Nita Lynn, at her retirement on June 30th, First Step is excited to formally introduce the new Executive Director, Elisia Anderson.

Anderson comes with over 12 years of leadership experience at various northwest non-profits and holds a degree in Psychology from The Evergreen State College.

“I find people fascinating and inspiring. My career choices have often been driven by a deep curiosity about resilience and how to create opportunities for people to build their ability to bounce and thrive despite the challenges, stressors, and trauma that they have and will face. This has led me to work with Veterans living with PTSD, children and adults with disabilities, and supporting women to reach economic stability,” shares Anderson.

When she started in March of 2020 as Program Manager, Anderson immediately joined Nita in navigating First Step programs through the COVID pandemic, leading efforts that distributed over $296,000 in support to families in need in a variety of formats.

“During my first conversation with Nita, I was enthralled with the vast fabric that makes up the First Step suite of programs.” Elisia and the team at First Step have rolled up their sleeves and worked to ensure that programs are continuously serving families’ ever-changing needs.

Named Executive Director as of July 1, 2022, Anderson quickly and seamlessly stepped into her role.

“I am looking forward to working with the board on a new strategic plan that will guide our work in our post-pandemic future. It is First Step’s 50th anniversary year and I am excited to begin the process of planning for the next 50 years. I have a passion for listening to people and finding collaborative solutions to help each of us meet our full potential.”

She goes on to say, “I am honored to lead an agency that fundamentally believes in the strengths of parents. My hope is that all children and families in our community will have the support they need to thrive, and I look forward to our agency continuing to bring these services and supports to the North Olympic Peninsula.”

First Step welcomes Elisia Anderson, Executive Director, and wishes her all the best in her new role.

At First Step, positive change occurs for families who use the Protective Factors Framework as a guiding pathway to improve their lives. Many young families in our area live in environments where there may be poverty, crime, substance use, domestic violence, lack of adequate housing, food insecurity, lack of transportation, and limited access to healthcare.

Helping families layer protective factors into their lives increases the health and well-being of the family unit, and mitigates or even eliminates the risk of negative outcomes in the lives of parents and children.

Protective factors are:

Parental Resilience- parents thrive when they have the tools to manage stress, make good decisions, and be strong leaders for their families

Social Connections- families thrive in inclusive environments in which they can build and maintain social connections for mutual support and a sense of belonging in the community

Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development- parents excel when they have a safe space to learn about their child’s development, discuss and explore their issues and concerns, and try out new parenting strategies

Concrete Support in Times of Need- families are healthier and happier when they have a safe place to go for assistance so that they can express their needs and find connections to services in the community. Sometimes the need is as simple as diapers and wipes or an open ear

Social and Emotional Competence of Children- children excel when parents are available to nurture their emotional development, including being present and supportive of their children as they learn to develop a positive identity in a diverse society.

When families build Protective Factors into their lives they have a greater opportunity to flourish in spite of the chaos and risks that may surround them. Protective Factors provide an opportunity for optimization of child development as well as reduced likelihood of abuse or neglect in the home.

First Step’s mission, “Promoting the healthy development of children and families on the North Olympic Peninsula by building family strengths” remains the cornerstone of the agency’s work, well into its fiftieth year of service. (50 YEARS!)

When parents and caregivers bring their children to First Step’s Drop-In Center, they find a comfortable place to bring their children for play. There are multiple stimulating and developmentally appropriate rooms for tummy-time play, crawling, and walking, reading a book, and learning to speak and interact through socialization with other families. Pre-school-aged children enjoy larger toys and engage in hands-on activities in the patio space as well as the playground.

The Drop-In Center at First Step offers snacks, coffee, tea, and a place for people to connect. Families can visit, shop our Clothing Closet, ask to be referred to various resources, and even request assistance in obtaining needed safety equipment.

First Step’s new Drop-In Center Coordinator, Melia Winters, is a solo mother of two working on a bachelor’s degree in community health. Her background is in domestic violence advocacy, and she has been a client at the Drop-In Center in the past.

Among the changes Melia has brought to the Drop-In Center, an overarching theme is mindfulness. “When you come to Drop-In you’ll find a safe place to simply just be in the moment.”

Art is always in action, with the most recent project being ice painting, a great activity for almost all ages. Children paint ice cubes and then use the painted ice cubes to create watercolor paintings.

The Garden is Growing

Chi Farms, of Sequim, donates a weekly farm share to the Drop-In Center on Wednesdays, which is portioned and shared with families who come by to play. Herbs and veggies grown in the Drop-In garden are harvested and shared.

Community

A local family living in a nearby apartment come by the Drop-In Center to use the playroom. It is a great space for crawling and learning to walk. Using the variety of large toys at First Step provides excellent child development that they cannot make room for at home. Mom uses the free Clothing Closet as a clothes swap opportunity every time her child grows into the next size of clothing. The family looks forward to the social interactions they have with other families when visiting.

Support in Times of Need

Families from all walks of life will feel occasional hardships and face adversity. When parents experience struggles such as food or supply shortages, lack of transportation, illness, or lack of adequate housing, they are sometimes unable to meet the basic needs of their families. Asking for help can feel embarrassing. Some families are unsure who they can rely on for support.

At First Step, the front lines of support can be found at the Drop-In Center, where families can come for a reprieve from the stress and isolation that pregnancy and parenting can sometimes bring.
Parents and caregivers can ask for help with formula, diapers, and wipes. They can shop for clothing and equipment for newborns, babies, and toddlers, join healthy cooking classes, and find support groups for lactation. Pregnancy tests, condoms, and feminine hygiene products are available and discreetly provided.

Family Well-Being Navigators can match parents and caregivers with local resources to meet their needs in a more personalized way. They can provide emotional support as well, scheduling private time for parents to talk through issues and to request assistance with problem-solving.

The Drop-In Center is designed to address a multi-generational community of family support, available not just to parents and children but also to grandparents, foster families, and anyone pregnant and or caring for young children.

Research indicates that by using a protective factors approach (see Protective Factors), helping parents and caregivers understand their child’s development and social and emotional needs, helping families in need to secure basic necessities, and providing multi-generational support to the whole family, parents/caregivers and children can do well, even in the most challenging environments.

First Step’s Drop-In Center is located at 325 East 6th Street in Port Angeles and is open Monday through Thursday from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.