Hospital Provides Newborns with 'Readiness Bags' for Early Education
Plenty of babies and parents leave the hospital with a few gifts, whether it’s a signature onesie or an extra pack of diapers. But for those leaving University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, the “Readiness Bag” is not just for the body, but for the mind.
A collaboration between Harford County Public Schools, Harford County Education Foundation, the Harford County Health Department and the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health system, Readiness Bags also include educational materials and early learning manipulatives — tools that they hope will give the newborns an educational leg up. The program aims to provide 1,000 Readiness Bags every year.
“This project is close to our hearts because it’s about nurturing the potential of every child from the very beginning,” said Debora Merlock, president of Harford County Education Foundation. “We’re excited to see how these resources will benefit our community.”