Alma Valdivia Saldana is a stay-at-home mom with a growing family. She recently welcomed a new baby. Your support is giving them a way to relax and bond that she otherwise would not have. Your gift to Mercy Health Foundation Lorain contributes to parental support programs like Rock N’ Read.

The goal of the Rock N’ Read program is to help build stronger families in Lorain. The program is simple and effective. Qualifying families receive a rocking chair and collection of books with the understanding that they will be used together to encourage them to slow down, connect and grow together.

“My husband works, and I stay home with the children, so we are a single income family,” says Alma. “We would not have been able to afford any of this on our own.”

As a breastfeeding mom, Alma finds that the rocking chair is the perfect place to nurse her baby. The quiet gentle motion helps her build the crucial bond between mother and child. When it’s story time, her other children join in as well, creating a special moment of connection for the whole family.

“The books are wonderful. Story time is part of our daily routine that my other children love as well,” she says.

Even though her baby is too young to fully grasp the stories, reading to an infant is known to support early brain and language development. In older children it can lead to early literacy.

Alma is grateful that you support such a thoughtful program.

“Thank you for supporting families and helping me bond with my children through the Rock N’ Read program. We are building a strong foundation for learning in our home because of it.”