First Lady Crissy Haslam Hosts “First Ladies for Healthy Babies” in Chattanooga

Connecting women in the faith-based community to create awareness for healthy early child development and parent practices, and mentorship opportunities for young parents

NASHVILLE – First Lady Crissy Haslam today hosted a gathering of First Ladies for Healthy Babies at the Chattanoogan Hotel in Chattanooga. First Ladies and leading ladies of churches in the Chattanooga area met with Mrs. Haslam to discuss the importance of healthy early brain development and parenting practices, as well as mentorship opportunities for young parents in their community. An information fair featuring community resources related to healthy parenting was available to participants during the event.
“The church and the faith-based community play a very important role in the health and well-being of neighborhoods,” said Mrs. Haslam. “The women here today are a trusted resource for their community. If we work together to promote the importance of early brain development and healthy parenting, then our entire state can bennefit.”

First Ladies for Healthy Babies was launched in 2010 in partnership with the Neighborhood Christian Center in Memphis with more than 175 churches represented from the greater Memphis area. The initiative connects women leaders in the faith-based community whom are committed to serving the needs specific to Tennessee families in neighborhoods throughout the state.

Mrs. Haslam has grown the initiative by hosting similar events in Nashville, Knoxville, and today she invited women to meet together in Chattanooga. The goal of the meeting was to build relationships and create a network to share information about healthy parenting practices and mentorship opportunities for young parents.

“Communities can look very different throughout our state, but we know that healthy early development and strong families are important for every child in Tennessee,” said Mrs. Haslam. “First Ladies for Healthy Babies is not about starting new programs; it is about utilizing our voice and the resources we already have to change our community for the better.”

For more information about the First Ladies for Healthy Babies Network, visit http://www.tn.gov/firstlady/first-teachers.shtml.