Millie Brown, Director of Duplin County Department of Social Services, shared a touching reflection and prayer at the Community Advisory Group meeting in September 2008, on the positive impact of the National Children’s Study on Duplin County’s children.
“I was working with families and children before most of you were born. As we all know children are our future. It is very exciting that Duplin County children have been chosen for a study that follows the history of the lives of children from the fetus stage and on into adulthood. We are a very diverse county with children of many origins. But when we get down to the nitty gritty each child has their own personality, with genes from two different parents converging together to make up a child with traits unique to him or herself. I am intrigued by the differences in my grandchildren and my great grandchildren and the similar mannerisms as well as the uniqueness of each of them.
Children are such joys to all of us and hopefully this Study is going to reveal results that will affect families for decades to come.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, we saw many children who had protruding bellies from malnutrition due to lack of proper diets and actually a lack of food period. In the early 1970s, the surplus commodity program was implemented in Duplin County. Many residents in the county took advantage of this program, to supplement their diets. The Agriculture Extension Agency put programs into place to help teach these families to make the best use of food by preparing nutritious meals from the commodities. Our agency had two homemakers who also taught families in food preparation as well as other ways to improve their family life.
In the late seventies, the county implemented the food stamp program, which really did make a significant difference in the diets of poor families in the county.
In the mid-seventies, the Medicaid program was introduced in the county, providing medical care for many families who were unable to access medical care, except for preventive care provided by the Public Health Agency.
I have seen many services added through education, human services agencies and private providers that have enhanced the lives of children in many ways. Programs for special needs children, Head Start, Smart Start, More at Four, protective services for children, prenatal care, immunizations, and recreational programs just to name a few.
I hope and believe that the National Children’s Study will give insight into many areas of the lives of all children that will further enhance the future of children not only in Duplin County but in our nation.”
To close her presentation, Ms. Brown read “A Prayer for Children” by Ina Hughs.