The tiny-k Foundation’s “Healthy Babies of Tomorrow Come From the Best Recommendation of Today” will mobilize 30 tiny-k (www.tiny-k.org) networks throughout Kansas to provide educational programs for pregnant women and women of childbearing age. The project will provide services to more than 3,500 women across the state in 2008.

The Women’s Care Teen Clinic at Saint Luke’s Hospital (www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org) in Kansas City, Mo., provides essential services to pregnant teens to ensure the delivery of healthy babies and assist in the prevention of future pregnancies. The project will establish the Centering Pregnancy model, which focuses on reducing birth disparities for at-risk women through improved prenatal care.

Specializing in caring for those who are uninsured and underinsured, Hunter Health Clinic is a non-profit Community Health Center in Wichita. The clinic’s “You Can Do It – Manage Gestational Diabetes” pilot program will work to prevent adverse health outcomes associated with gestational diabetes among prenatal patients and their babies. Hunter Health Clinic (www.hunterhealthclinic.org) is the primary health care provider for Hispanic community in the region.

The fourth and final grant will go to the Fort Hays State University Department of Nursing (www.fhsu.edu/nursing) for “Education as Mentoring for Teen Moms.” This project will enable senior nursing students to develop and present weekly programs at maternity homes and to homebound pregnant and postpartum teens on topics ranging from prenatal nutrition to newborn care for their infant.

“We are pleased that our successful fundraising events – March for Babies, Bikers for Babies, Blue Jean Ball, Signature Chefs Auctions and Wine Fest -- make it possible for us to support local programs to help babies get a healthy start in life,” said Diane Daldrup, State Program Services Director for the March of Dimes Greater Kansas Chapter.

Since 2000, the March of Dimes has awarded more than $1.8 million to support direct service programs and biomedical research in Kansas and Western Missouri.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services education, and advocacy to save babies. More information is available on the March of Dimes web site www.marchofdimes.com.