Every one of us in Grand Junction has a story to tell about how we are experiencing the COVID-19 crisis. I feel fortunate that my story does not stand alone, but because of my job as a home visitor, it is tied to that of more than 60 families in our community.

Under normal circumstances, I meet with families in their homes, to ensure parents have the tools they need to raise healthy, happy, thriving children. Sometimes, I am belly down on the carpet with mothers, showing them how to best babble with their babies to develop speech. Or, I am at the kitchen table helping parents navigate application forms for food support through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Or, I may settle into the couch to help a new mother work through the challenges of breast feeding. Since July, my fellow home visitors and I have carried out more than 600 visits with families and their kids.