As a child, Melanie Richardson says she was the cousin everyone trusted to soothe a baby or sit on the floor and play. She has always had it in her to work with children and families.
Today, Richardson is the executive director and co-founder of TrainingGrounds, a New Orleans nonprofit she launched in 2016 with partner Christine Neely to support parents and caregivers in raising healthy children.
“Parenting isn’t something that you just know how to do because you have a child,” said Richardson. “A lot of times, parents shy away from asking questions because they don’t want to feel like it’s something they should know. So, we’re creating spaces where parents can just ask questions, be themselves, and be vulnerable.”
The Packard Foundation supports TrainingGrounds in serving moms, expectant parents, and families with young children across New Orleans.
At the heart of TrainingGrounds is the We PLAY Center, a free play space where caregivers and young children can have quality playtime that supports healthy development for the whole family. While children play, building language and motor skills and fostering social-emotional development, parents and caregivers learn how they can best support their child in this critical period of life.
In addition to the play center, TrainingGrounds provides workshops for parents and ways for families to access additional resources to support their child. These services are often offered in response to needs that staff and parents notice together through group play sessions.
The development and skills families get at TrainingGrounds are essential, and families may also need access to affordable, quality health care, nutritious food, affordable child care, and financial support. That’s why TrainingGrounds established its We CONNECT Family Resource Hub, which connects families with coordination support and services that they may need for day-to-day life.
This support can include help finding employment, disability screenings, doula or midwife referrals, mental health counseling, and more. By coordinating with local organizations, TrainingGrounds expands the range of options available to families. Parents may walk through the door to join the We PLAY Center, but they often leave with a plan for the comprehensive support they need to raise a healthy child.
TrainingGrounds is currently supporting more than 600 families across New Orleans and is expanding into new areas of the city.
The Packard Foundation supports grantee partners like TrainingGrounds working to ensure that the health care, child care, and financial support systems that serve moms, expectant parents, and families with young children are better connected, easier to access, and better equipped to meet the diverse needs of families.
“For new parents, the first question they are asked is, ‘How’s the baby?’” said Richardson. “We’ve created a space where we’re asking, ‘How are you, mom, dad?’ because we know when parents are well, we know their children have the best chance to thrive.”
