FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — Shelter Youth & Family Services’ Healthy Families Program, in partnership with Legacy Medical Center and Brightpoint, is launching Parents Care & Share (Padres Cariñosos que Comparten), a new Spanish-speaking support group designed to provide connection, encouragement and resources for new and expectant mothers throughout Chicago’s northwest suburbs.
The free group is open to women who are pregnant or have welcomed a baby within the past year. Meetings are held both in person and virtually on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Legacy Medical, 3030 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 200, Arlington Heights.
Parents Care & Share provides a welcoming, parent-led environment where participants can connect with other mothers, share parenting tips, discuss challenges, build friendships and access valuable support during one of life’s most significant transitions. The group is facilitated by a trained leader, conducted in Spanish, and offers childcare options to help reduce barriers to participation. First-time attendees will also receive a New Mom Gift Basket.
Research consistently shows that strong social support during pregnancy and early motherhood can improve maternal mental health, reduce feelings of isolation, and contribute to healthier outcomes for both mothers and children. For Spanish-speaking families, culturally responsive and language-accessible services can be especially critical in helping parents navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and the early years of parenting with confidence.
“Spanish-speaking families in the northwest suburbs often face significant barriers when trying to access parenting resources and support in their own language,” said Lynn Puckelwartz, Director of Shelter’s Healthy Families Program. “At Healthy Families, our goal is to support new parents during the first five years of a child’s life—the formative years—when healthy development and strong family bonds are established. By creating a Spanish-speaking community where mothers feel understood, supported and connected, we are helping both parents and children build the foundation they need to thrive.”
The Parents Care & Share support group is offered through Shelter’s Healthy Families Program, which provides five years of free one-one-one support to new parents aimed at strengthening parenting skills, promoting healthy child development, and supporting family well-being from pregnancy through a child’s early years.
Women seeking more information or to sign up should complete an online interest form.
Learn more about Shelter’s Healthy Families program, visit: https://www.shelter-inc.org/program/healthy-families/
About Shelter Youth & Family Services
Founded in 1975, Shelter Youth & Family Services is a Chicagoland leader in providing emotional and physical care to youth in crisis. Shelter delivers a comprehensive continuum of community-based services, including emergency housing, transitional living, foster care, home visiting, support for survivors of human trafficking, and clinical support programs. Shelter is the only agency in Illinois offering such a broad range of integrated services for at-risk children, youth, and families.
For more information, visit www.shelter-inc.org
Media Inquiries
Lynn Puckelwartz
Healthy Families Program Director, MSW
lpuckelwartz@shelter-inc.org
847-595-0235
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