Bright Beginnings began providing services in 1989.

Bright Beginnings, formerly known as the Maternal Child Health Coalition, began providing services in 1989.  Prevention of low birth weight babies, infant mortality and health promotion for infants through the first year of life, formed the cornerstone of its services and advocacy in Hillsborough County.

Since 1998, Bright Beginnings has expanded its reach to help both children and their families.  Today, through dynamic community partnerships, Bright Beginnings offers:

• Home visitation programs for pregnant and parenting women, including teens;
• Self-sufficiency programs targeting school success for children, as well as job development and financial literacy courses for adults;
• Family Support and Resource Centers, located in Brandon and North Tampa, that provide developmental play groups for children, school readiness and success programs, and workshops for financial literacy and employability.

Although Bright Beginnings offers services countywide, it focuses on families in targeted zip codes that face multiple life challenges and who have few tangible support systems.  The staff is well trained and supervised to address issues that are disproportionately high in these areas, such as poor birth outcomes and domestic violence.  In addition, a strong bilingual staff meets the growing needs of under-served populations in both rural and urban areas of the county known to have increased language barriers which hinder access to care.

Bright Beginnings has positive relationships with all of our partner agencies including:

• The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County
• The Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, Inc.
• The Children’s Home, Inc.
• Child Abuse Council, Inc.
• St. Joseph’s Hospital – Child Advocacy Center
• Catholic Charities, Diocese of St. Petersburg, Inc.

Through these strong collaborations Bright Beginnings continues to build promising futures for children in Hillsborough County.

Our Services Include:

• In-home Visits to Strengthen Parenting Skills and Parent/Child Interaction
• Optimal Child Development including Emphasis on Brain Development
• Teen Pregnancy Prevention & Parenting Resources
• Health Promotion
• Safety Awareness & Injury Prevention

We Offer Universal Access to Family Support & Resource Centers:

• Tutoring
• FCAT Preparation
• Developmental Play Groups for Children
• Health & Safety Classes
• Financial Literacy
• Employability
• Computer Classes
• Tax Season Assistance
• English as a Second Language Classes
• GED Classes