In May 2023, Bastrop County Cares (BCC) received Preschool Development Grant funds (through the Department of Family and Protective Services Prevention and Early Intervention) and Help Me Grow National to develop a Bastrop County Help Me Grow (HMG) site. Help Me Grow is a model that uses and builds upon existing resources in Bastrop County to create a comprehensive approach to improving early childhood development in our communities. To successfully implement the Help Me Grow model in Bastrop County, we will continue to identify existing resources, find creative ways to utilize them, and work together towards the shared goal with the Bastrop County Early Childhood Coalition to ensure every child is safe, healthy, and ready for school.
The future Bastrop County Help Me Grow program will have a significant impact on communities, families, and children across the county. It aims to reach families through many channels: a centralized access point (the resource center), child health providers, and community partners.
In connection with these goals, and secured through other funding, efforts are underway to establish the BCC Care-A-Can, a Mobile Family Resource Center, that will collaborate with existing community resource centers to better support low-income families with young children in need. This will be a community-wide alignment of services through the BCC Care-A-Van, which will provide wellness and recreational outreach to underserved micro-communities in the county. BCC Change Agents, Community Health Workers, and Parent Ambassadors are being identified in these communities across the county and will be able to help individuals and families find access to resources to help them thrive. The impact will not only support adults in our communities but will also positively impact each child’s development. This collective effort by the entire community aims to bring about systemic change and empowerment to make Bastrop County a better place to live, work, play, pray, and learn.
We are in the process of hiring and onboarding the HMG team and expect to be operational this fall.