Kohl’s Cares® has once again awarded Commonwealth Health Foundation a grant to enable The Medical Center to reach expectant parents with vital obstetrics education classes. This year’s grant totaling $23,712 will be used for The Medical Center’s Newborn Care and Safety Class which teaches expectant parents essential baby care skills.
“Having a baby can make parents feel apprehensive. They want to know the proper way to do everything from diapering, to feeding to comforting their newborn,” said Cindy Gilliam, OB Educator for The Medical Center. “The Newborn Care and Safety Class provides all this information and much more. It is one of our most attended classes. By teaching parents the basic skills they want and need to know, they feel much more comfortable and confident in caring for their new infant.”
The Newborn Care and Safety Class is a free, hands-on class where participants use baby dolls to practice swaddling and holding a newborn, diapering and giving the baby a bath. A variety of safety issues are addressed, and a CPR demonstration shows parents what to do in an emergency. Last year 33 classes were held with 675 total participants, and 34 classes are already scheduled for 2014.
The Kohl’s grant also funds the purchase of items such as “The Joy of Parenthood” publication on baby care and safety, DNA identification kits, infant CPR refrigerator magnets, and baby safety gift sets, are provided to parents at no cost. A baby monitor is also given out in a drawing at every class.
The Medical Center is the local Kohl’s Cares® beneficiary. Since 2006, Kohl’s has donated $188,221 to The Medical Center to support its health and wellness programs including construction of two community walking trails at local elementary schools.
Kohl's commitment to Commonwealth Health Foundation and The Medical Center is made possible through the Kohl's Cares® cause merchandise program. Through this initiative, Kohl’s sells $5 books and plush toys where 100% of net profit benefits children’s health and education programs nationwide, including hospital partnerships like this one. Kohl's has raised more than $231 million through this merchandise program. In addition to the merchandise program, Kohl's features the Kohl’s Cares® Scholarship Program, which last year recognized more than 2,300 young volunteers with more than $400,000 in scholarships and prizes. Through Kohl's Associates in Action volunteer program, more than 669,000 associates have donated more than 2.2 million hours of their time since 2001, and Kohl’s has donated more than $63 million to youth-focused nonprofit organizations. Kohl’s also offers fundraising gift cards for schools and youth-serving organizations. For more information, visit
www.Kohls.com/Cares.
About Kohl’s
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,155 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $231 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com or join the discussion on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kohls or Twitter http://twitter.com/Kohls or get inspired on Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/kohls/) and instagram (http://instagram.com/kohls).
About Commonwealth Health Foundation
Commonwealth Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Commonwealth Health Corporation (CHC). Commonwealth Health Foundation helps build relationships and partnerships across Southcentral Kentucky that will inspire charitable giving by individuals, foundations, corporations and organizations. These gifts help support the mission of CHC to care for people and improve the quality of life in the communities it serves. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.commonwealthhealthfoundation.org or call 270-796-5543.
About The Medical Center
The Medical Center at Bowling Green is the flagship hospital for Commonwealth Health Corporation (CHC). Located in Bowling Green, Ky., The Medical Center is a 337-bed, full service, not-for-profit hospital specializing in heart, cancer care, obstetrics and neonatology, and orthopaedic services. With a mission to care for people and improve the quality of life in the communities it serves, CHC and its entities including The Medical Center at Bowling Green contributed $67.1 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2013. The Medical Center treats patients regardless of their ability to pay and annually provides millions in community benefit through charity care for the uninsured and shortfalls in governmental reimbursements (Medicare and Medicaid). To learn more, visit www.TheMedicalCenter.org.
