Standing by the First Born sign at Zia Credit Union are, from right, Ellen Specter, Executive Director of First Born Program of Los Alamos, Zia Asst. Branch Manager Alicia Morales, Zia Branch Manager Jennifer Aylmer and First Born Board President Karen Holmes. Photo by Laura Loy

FIRST BORN PROGRAM NEWS RELEASE

This month, the 80 families who participate in the First Born Program of Los Alamos will each receive a $240 Visa Gift Card to help with inflation relief. The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department generously provided the funding. First Born purchased the gift cards from Zia Credit Union, who waived the usual purchase fee. This amounts to a generous donation of $236 from Zia Credit Union to the First Born Program.

Families can use this unexpected assistance to purchase groceries, formula, diapers, gas, or whatever they need to help make ends meet.

When her home visitor presented her with her gift card, one mother exclaimed, “What a wonderful surprise. I am so grateful! We are really struggling with higher food prices, and this gift card will help us buy fresh fruit and vegetables as our baby transitions to solid foods.”

The First Born Program of Los Alamos is a free and voluntary home visiting program for all first time families in Los Alamos. The program is relationship‐centered and curriculum‐based. Families who participate receive support, information about pregnancy, early childhood development, health, nutrition and safety and learn fun activities to help build brain development and learning. Through weekly home visits, families identify personal goals, recognize challenges and opportunities for growth and build a healthy, loving, playful relationship with their child. For more information, visit www.firstbornla.org or email welcome@firstbornla.org.