Freadom® Fun – Good Vibes and Good Words Only

On Friday, May 30, 2025, The Freadom® Road Foundation participated in Family Focus Englewood Mother’s Day Brunch celebration by providing a bonanza of books and other literacy “goodies” for mothers and children in the Family Focus Prevention Initiative and Doula programs.

The power of paper, pictures, colors, and words to call forth positive emotions, promote family bonding, and support educational success right from birth – and even prenatally – was evident in the joy with which the moms looked through the array of items before selecting their favorites. Exclamations like “This is great. This is amazing, and I love it!” were often heard. One of the moms asked excitedly “When are you coming back,” and, “Can I volunteer with you?”

Adding to the festivities was the simultaneous celebration of a four year old’s birthday. An inspiring sight was the birthday girl’s mom “reading” the touch and feel book about baby chicks together with her. Their eyes looking at the same picture on the page and their hands moving together across the words on the opposite page demonstrated an important emergent literacy / educational bonding activity called joint attention.

The youngest child – only two months old – received a pretty pink newborn cap, a little elephant blanket, and a matching soft cloth book. The cap was a gift crocheted personally by Dayle Murphy, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lake View, a FREADOM® partner that sponsors this FREADOM® program under the umbrella of Kiwanis International’s Young Children: Priority One Initiative.

Important to the success of this event was the participation of one of our longtime volunteers. She is seen proudly wearing our FREADOM® T-shirt as she stands in solidarity next to one of the moms who is wearing a T-shirt with other important words: BLESSED GRATEFUL THANKFUL.