The Coastal Coalition for Children has been in operation since 1983, serving families in southeast Georgia by offering voluntary programs to parents of newborns and grandparents raising grandchildren.
One of their programs is a Sleep Safe campaign, which works to prevent Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and other sleep related causes of infant death.
“As part of our First Steps referral program, we regularly encounter families who lack the means and/or knowledge to provide a safe sleep environment for their newborns,” said Lori Hatton, Executive Director. “For over a decade, we have relied on individual donors, local mini-grants, and limited funding from the Georgia Department of Public Health to provide safe sleep pack-n-plays.”
Now, thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, the coalition has funds to purchase 50 pack-n-plays for use in their Sleep Safe campaign.
“The impact of this program is undeniable,” said Hatton. “For the past 12 years, no newborn enrolled in our program has died due to unsafe sleep practices. Providing a safe sleep pack-n-play is more than just a material donation; it is a lasting, proactive, and compassionate response to a critical and immediate need for families already facing financial hardship. This grant will allow us to expand our reach and ensure that more newborns in our community have the safe start they deserve.”
In addition to First Steps, other programs offered by the Coalition include Healthy Families® and Grandparent Connection. Healthy Families® is a nationally accredited home visitation program. Through this program, family support workers offer activities at each stage of the child’s life that engage both parents and their child. They encourage actual play, interactions, and moments of joy to reduce adverse childhood experiences and foster school readiness developmentally and socially.
“We are the earliest form of education, which is important since we now know that 90% of a child’s brain development happens before age 5,” said Hatton. “We help parents understand that in the first few years of a child’s life, 700 new neural connections are formed every second and that this early learning is the foundation for all future success in school, in the workforce, and in life.”
The Grandparent Connection program also includes home visitation to support grandparents, legal guardians, or other kinship placements who find themselves caring for minor children, when the child’s natural parent cannot care for them for a variety of reasons, including mental health issues, drug use, poverty, incarceration, or abandonment. The Coalition’s staff supports healthy development and addresses issues that may arise from the child’s past experiences. They also provide monthly support groups, mental health consultations, tutoring for children who are behind grade level, and other community services.
“Our mission, and vision, are to ensure that families, communities, and organizations have access to the highest quality services and resources needed to help children and youth grow into healthy and thriving,” said Hatton.
“We’re proud to support the Coalition for Children in their mission to build stronger families and healthier futures for children in our community,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.
About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.
A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.
Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.
About Southeastern Bank
Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more
About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.
