DRU/Mondawmin Healthy Families (DRUM HF)

History

Under the leadership of Hathaway Ferebee at Safe and Sound and with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an initiative began to achieve systemic and far-reaching change in the lives of children in Baltimore City. From this initiative emerged a partnership designed to ensure that infants are born healthy, live in safe and nurturing families, and are ready to learn when they enter school. At that time the need to support families with children in Baltimore City was great.

Representatives from various communities in Baltimore City were invited to participate in this campaign. In 1999, a collaborative partnership of faith based programs, community based organizations and head start programs, developed the concept of the DRU (Druid Heights, Reservoir Hill, Upton Communities) partnership initiative that was designed to support families with children ages 0 – 5. This occurred at a time when it was evident that the children in the community were becomingly increasingly vulnerable. Infant mortality and other negative birth outcomes were among some of the significant issues that needed to be addressed in a community that was challenged by negative health indices, economic disenfranchisement and significant violence. Also, researchers and educators were placing more emphasis on the fact that environmental influences have long-lasting effects on brain development. By the time children are 3, their brain patterns are fully developed and by the time children are 6, they have the fundamental traits in place to either succeed or fail throughout adult life.