New free parent and child workshop open to community

St. Mary's Services' maternity program, Hopeful Beginnings, will be facilitating a free, parent and child workshop at Northwest Compass in Mount Prospect. As a child welfare agency, St. Mary's Services strives to provide the best possible home for each and every child. One way the agency achieves this goal is through education. With St. Mary's Services'/Hopeful Beginnings' new partnership with Northwest Compass, the agency hopes to enrich the community through this new, free program.

The free program will provide parents an opportunity to meet other parents in the community, while also build on child socialization skills and promote parent/child attachment. The Hopeful Beginnings team plans on helping parents achieve this by engaging the parents and children in fun art & crafting, music, exercise, and motor activities. Speakers will discuss various topics including financial stability, legal assistance, child development, and more. The workshop will also include dinner for the participants. Any parent with a child or children between the ages of 0 and 3 can participate. Parents will also be able to utilize the food pantry and other services available at Northwest Compass.

The workshop will be held at Northwest Compass, 1300 W. Northwest Hwy., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056, between the hours of 4:30PM - 6:30PM. The 2017 workshop dates are as follows:

• Wednesday, October 25

• Wednesday, November 8

• Wednesday, November 29

• Wednesday, December 13

For more information, contact Joanne Bratta or Nicole Gonzalez at (847) 870-8181 or