Gift of Life Nurse Home Visitor Kathy Pounds and mom Kayla Ramsey are currently featured in an article on the national Nurse-Family Partnership website about their experiences with NFP and for and their successful use of the new Goal Mama app. Kathy has represented GOL and the state of Alabama on several national NFP initiatives like Goal Mama, which is an app that helps moms set and track goals, sends appointment reminders, and provides links to parenting resources. Kathy was also featured in a training video on the app that was recently rolled out nationwide. Check out the story!
https://www.nursefamilypartnership.org/stories/kayla-2/

Gift of Life has been featured in the September 2019 "Big Give" issue of the Chamber of Commerce's Montgomery Business Journal. The feature, found on pages 13 and 17, spotlight our executive director, Dr. Regina Traylor, our recent accomplishments, and ways the community can donate to support our important work. For more information about GOL like our FB page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @GOLFound. View the magazine online here:https://issuu.com/montgomerycvb/docs/mbj_sept_2019…

Gift of Life Foundation was recently awarded an $80,000 grant from the Children's Trust Fund of Alabama to support its Nurse-Family Partnership Program.

GOL received the award based on its strong, demonstrated record of delivering child abuse and neglect prevention education through its home visiting programs.

We'd like to thank CTF for supporting the important work that we do and their support of home visiting programs like NFP which equip parents with the parenting skills they need to reduce child abuse and neglect.

Are you pregnant or a parenting teen? Gift of Life’s Parenting Forward Program Can Help You! Find out how at our Summer Orientation Session on Saturday, July 13, 2019 @ 10 a.m. Juliet Hampton Morgan Library 245 High Street- Downtown Montgomery. Parenting Forward gives teen moms and dads the education, support and connection to community resources that they need to become a great parent and plan for a successful future at no cost. Door prizes and giveaways will be given away, plus community resources! To register to attend the session, go to https://golfound.org/events or call Tina Berry at (334) 272-1820. Children are welcome. The session is free.

MONTGOMERY, AL - Gift of Life Nurse Family Partnership mom and GOL CAN ambassador AnDrika Harmon has been selected to represent the state of Alabama at ZERO TO THREE’S Strolling Thunder on the nation’s capital on April 30, 2019.

AnDrika and her baby Zion will join families representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia to meet members of Congress in Washington D.C. and share with them what babies and families need to thrive, including affordable child care, paid maternity leave, nutrition, and programs that support social/emotional development of babies. They will also participate in a rally on the East Lawn of the Capitol and will have lunch at the White House.

AnDrika was selected based on a short video that she entered on ZERO TO THREE'S Strolling Thunder's Website. ZERO TO THREE will pay the cost of her flight and hotel accommodations.

This is one of many accomplishments AnDrika has made in GOL’s NFP program. Last year, she was featured on NPR’s Story Corps where she discussed the need to preserve funding for the SNAP Program for working families. She also had an opportunity to meet with Congresswoman Martha Roby at the Gift of Life office to discuss the need for affordable childcare and money and resources for early learning programs.

She participates in NFP with Nurse Home Visitor Kristi Gay. 

Here is a link to Strolling Thunder. https://www.thinkbabies.org/strollingthunder/

MEDIA ADVISORY                    

MEDIA CONTACT: Mona Davis, Assistant Director of Marketing and Community Outreach Office: (334) 273-7800 / Mobile: (334) 546-7181 / Email: mdavis@golfound.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2019

MONTGOMERY, AL -The Gift of Life Foundation (GOL) has received a share of $100 million in grant funding recently awarded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support organizations that work to improve pregnancy outcomes and reduce infant mortality in communities nationwide.

The Gift of Life will receive $4,760,420 million in grant funding through HRSA’s Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health over the next five years. The funding will support Gift of Life’s home visiting and family coaching programs and a wide range of services GOL offers for women, children, and families, including linkage to social services; developmental screening, breastfeeding support; interconception education; father involvement activities and community outreach.

Gift of Life and the other organizations who received funding were selected based on having a strong record of producing positive outcomes in communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the U.S. national average. Grantees received up to $1.1 million each year over five years.

“We are thrilled to be awarded the grant for a second time,” said GOL Executive Director Dr. Regina Traylor. “It’s a huge validation of the work Gift of Life has been doing in communities, but it also indicates the work that still needs to be accomplished to improve our infant mortality rate and provide the needed supports that strengthen children and families and improve the health of our community,” she said.

 “I’m so proud of our dedicated staff and the commitment of our board and community partners who are integral to the work that we do,” said Traylor.

Administered by HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Healthy Start aims to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy; and, to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in rates of infant death as well as negative health outcomes in the first 18 months of life.

For a list of Healthy Start award recipients, visit: https://mchb.hrsa.gov/maternal-child-health-initiatives/healthy-start/awards.

MEDIA ADVISORY                    

MEDIA CONTACT: Mona Davis, Marketing and Community Outreach Director Office: (334) 273-7800 / Mobile: (334) 546-7181 / Email: mdavis@golfound.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 28, 2019

Gift of Life Foundation Names Interim Executive Director

MONTGOMERY, AL - The Gift of Life Foundation (GOL) Board of Directors has appointed veteran maternal child health administrator Dr. Regina Traylor, DHSc, as the organization’s interim executive director.

Traylor, who also serves as GOL’s director of family coaching programs, succeeds former executive director Dr. Cheryl G. Davis, who held the position since 2016. Traylor brings a diverse breadth of experience to the role with more than two decades of leadership in public health nursing, maternal child health program management, quality improvement, program evaluation and nursing education programs.

Prior to coming to Gift of Life in July 2018, Traylor served as public health nursing and special programs supervisor and director of the Ingham County Health Department Maternal Child Health Division in Lansing, Michigan. Her duties included directing the activities of several departments including Public Health Nursing, Children’s Special Health Care, Family Outreach Services and the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). She also provided day-to-day supervision to the nursing staff and the WIC coordinator, and was responsible for ensuring all programs meet federal and state guidelines.

She has also held positions as director of student support services at Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Nursing; interim director for student affairs at MSU; and surgical clinical nurse specialist and education specialist for Allegiance Health.  

GOL Board Chair Sandra Edwards said Traylor’s professional experiences and ability to connect with staff and clients made her a great choice for the interim role.

"The Gift of Life is entering into a phase of substantial program growth. Dr. Traylor is well-qualified and passionate about our work to reduce infant mortality. Her strong leadership ability and first-hand knowledge of the maternal child health field will keep Gift of Life moving forward,” Edwards said.

Traylor is originally from Montgomery, AL. She holds a bachelor’s in registered nursing from the University of Alabama Birmingham, master’s in nursing from Troy State University Montgomery and a doctorate in health science from Nova Southeastern University. She and her husband James Traylor are the proud parents of four children.

-30-

ABOUT GIFT OF LIFE FOUNDATION: Since 1988, Gift of Life Foundation (GOL) has worked to decrease infant mortality through programs that empower women and their families to reduce the challenges they face that threaten their health and prevent a healthy birth outcome. Reducing those challenges helps children survive infancy, lower complications related to low birth weight and decrease child abuse and neglect. Our parent educators, mobile family coaches and registered nurses work with first-time and parenting moms and dads to develop effective parenting skills and connect them to community resources that help them increase self-sufficiency.

Gift of Life recently published its 2017-2018 Annual Report which outlines innovations in programming, agency accomplishments, target goals and recaps events for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

Special Thanks to Our 30th Anniversary Sponsors

Gift of Life would like to thank its 30th Anniversary Benefit Banquet Legacy Sponsors for their support toward making our celebration a success.

Allen Dupre & OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery, Assured Partners and Maureen and Dr. Arthur Britton

Special thanks to our Trailblazer Sponsors Gregg Everett and Gilpin Givhan and the William Chandler family. Thanks also go to our Advocate Sponsors Cedric Bradford, Cheryl and Robert Davis, A.Z. Holloway, MD, Ty Powell, Synovus Bank, Grace Thomas, MD, Diane and Allen Weil, Edward Welch, Jr. and Dr. James and Cathy Wright and other important donors. We appreciate you!

Visit our Events page for a recap of our banquet, complete with photos. You can also view our special 30th Anniversary video which honors our founders, past executive directors, partners and families on our Vimeo page.

The River Region Community Action Team, Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Gift of Life Foundation, and Family Sunshine Center are hosting the workshop "Cultural Awareness of the Dynamics of Domestic Violence" on October 18, 2018, from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park.

You'll learn about the dynamics of domestic violence and how understanding cultural uniqueness is important to improving care and response to victims and providing effective prevention education. The workshop will also include a session on domestic violence and its affects on children’s brain development.

Morning Presenter: Retired Lt. Steve Searcy, Law Enforcement Training Coordinator, Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence will present the workshops “Dynamics of Domestic Violence” and “Cultural Awareness of DV”.

Afternoon Presenter: Gina Mullins, Children's Victim Services Counselor, Family Sunshine Center will present the workshop “Domestic Violence & Children’s Brain Development”.

Door prizes and CEUs for social work and nursing professionals will be available. The cost of the conference is free but YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE TO ATTEND. CLICK THE EVENTS TAB UNDER THE COMMUNITY PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE TO ACCESS THE REGISTRATION LINK. Seating is limited to the first 100 registered participants and is being offered on a first-come, first-served basis until all available seats are exhausted. No exceptions. The general admission ticket issued upon registration on Eventbrite will be required for entry to the event. Sign-in for the event will be from 7:45-8:20 a.m. The workshop will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.

For more information, call Mona Davis, Gift of Life Foundation at (334) 273-7800.