LETTER: Celebrating home visitors

The inaugural National Home Visiting Week takes place April 21–25 and offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate home visitors and the positive impact they make on maternal and child health outcomes. Parenting can be challenging, and home visiting professionals empower and walk alongside parents to build confidence and resilience. Through a variety of evidence-based models, home visiting supports healthy birth outcomes, increases family self-sufficiency and helps children enter school fully prepared to succeed.

I’m especially proud of the Southwestern Community College Parents as Teachers program and the important work they do in Union, Adams, Adair and Taylor counties here in Iowa. The incredible home visitors on our team make a meaningful difference in the lives of local families. These dedicated educators meet families where they are—respecting their values, honoring their traditions and helping them build strong foundations for their children’s futures.

Our home visitors, Barb, Nina and Lori, are changing lives, one family at a time. This week, and every week, I am deeply grateful for these hardworking and compassionate professionals.