NurturePA, Inc., a charitable, non-profit organization, provides the Nurture^® Program to moms following the birth of their baby to connect them with the information and resources they need – exactly when they need it.

The Nurture^® Program is about moms helping other moms. Through the use of technology, mentors are connected with moms who need a little extra support.

Moms use their mobile phones to interact with mentors. They can ask questions and receive answers and related information from their mentor as it is needed. Mentors use a program that enables them to easily send and receive text messages from a computer or tablet to help put moms in touch with the relevant information they need.

The program provides a database of critical, non-proprietary information that includes regional resources and child development milestones compiled from recognized, evidence-based sources. The program also includes age-specific child development milestones and possible issues that can be explored with moms. The information included in the program is mobile-friendly, making it easy for mentors to efficiently put moms in touch with the information they need.

Mentors are available to digitally dialog with moms when they need assistance in understanding information or obtaining additional information about parenting. Mentors can help direct moms who may need referrals for medical, mental health, or developmental delay issues. Perhaps equally important, mentors provide a sense that someone cares at a time when the moms themselves may need emotional support.

Each mentor is paired with 10-15 moms to support. On average, mentors spend about 10 minutes per week with each mom they support. Because of the efficiency of the program, mentors are able to successfully support a number of moms in just 1-2 hours throughout the course of the week. Mentors are also able to adapt the volunteer work to fit their own schedule.

A NurturePA manager, credentialed in early child development, provides training and supervision for mentors. Mentor training covers the principles of early child development, use of the software program, and policies and procedures for interacting with parents and referring issues to a manager.