Sloan's Lake Citizen's Group

Shared Beginnings program at St. Anthony

Helping Young Moms and Dads

Shared Beginnings
Helping Young Moms and Dads

St. Anthony Hospitals Shared Beginnings is a community-wide mentoring program, which helps teen mothers and fathers to be the best parents they can be. “Sharing partners” help program participants through the pregnancy, childbirth and crucial years that follow. These teens need someone to listen to his or her concerns. Many lack support systems and don’t know where to turn when times get tough.

Shared Beginnings is recruiting volunteer “sharing partners” to help young mothers and fathers, and pregnant teens get through the difficult times. “Sharing partners” teach their young partners to establish healthy families, become responsible parents and self-sufficient young women and men. With additional support from “sharing partners”, teenage parents and their children develop to their full potential.

The program requires a commitment of at least one year, and provides an orientation session, a full day of training, and monthly in-service sessions on a variety of issues. “Sharing partners” also undergo background checks and immunization screenings; they are required to maintain at least monthly personal contacts with their assigned partners.

For more information about Shared Beginnings, call Gloria S. S?¡nchez, volunteer coordinator, at 303-629-3692 or by email at gloriasanchez@centura.org. Bilingual Spanish-speaking volunteers and males especially are needed.