(BLACK PR WIRE) September is National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics and Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade are joining forces to launch The Jasmine Project on Saturday, September 25, 2010, at Florida Memorial University. The only newly funded Federal Healthy Start project in the country, the Jasmine Project will focus on reducing racial disparities in black infant mortality and health outcomes among pregnant women, new mothers, infants and women of child-birthing age in Miami-Dade County.

Community leaders and elected officials will be in attendance to pledge support for the new initiative at the 11:30 a.m. press conference. Confirmed attendees include:

• State Representative Yolly Roberson
• State Representative Oscar Braynon
• State Representative-elect Cynthia Stafford
• City of Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson
• City of Miami Gardens Councilmember Oliver Gilbert
• City of North Miami City Manager Russell Benford, presenting a city proclamation
• Office of State Senator Frederica Wilson, presenting a state proclamation
• Office of Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, presenting a proclamation declaring September 25, 2010, as “The Jasmine Project Launch Day” in Miami-Dade County
• Belafonte Tacolcy Center, Inc., CEO Alison Austin
• Florida Memorial University Interim Provost Dr. Denise Callwood-Brathwaite

“We are so excited to invite the entire community and our civic leaders to celebrate with us as we provide maternal-child health and education services to pregnant women, mothers, and infants living in these critical neighborhoods,” said Manuel Fermin, CEO of Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade. “Our success in what was an extremely competitive grant application process allows us to empower women in this community to protect their family and infant’s lives.”

The Jasmine Project is a community-based collaboration of organizations dedicated to the health of pregnant women and infants in Miami Gardens, Opa-locka and North Miami (zip codes 33055, 33054 and 33167).

“We are committed to providing women with the most advanced health education and parenting tools available to promote the healthiest possible outcomes for themselves, their infants and their young children through age three,” says Connie Morrow, Ph.D., Program Director, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. Statistics show that in the targeted neighborhoods, from 2005-2007, three of four babies who died before their first birthday were black. “Our goal,” continued Dr. Morrow, “is to do our part to make sure every baby celebrates their first birthday and has the healthiest possible start in life.”

Highlights of The Jasmine Project Kick Off Celebration include free health screenings (cholesterol, pregnancy tests, BMI, etc.), parenting and family engagement classes, nutritionist consultations, Afro-centric storytelling for kids and much more to promote healthy family lifestyles. Sponsor organizations, including Prestige Health Choice, Health Choice Network, CarMax, the Early Learning Coalition, Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Miami-Dade County Health Department, North Dade Health Center – Jackson Health System, and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Center will also provide give-away products such as bike helmets, diaper bags, backpacks, T-shirts, water bottles, educational materials, books, toys, and even bicycles and child seats. Light and healthy refreshments will be available throughout the day, with giveaways offered to those women who R.S.V.P. for the event.

The Jasmine Project funding is $750,000 annually for a five-year period, awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The project is 100% funded by HRSA and is not receiving funds from any nongovernmental sources.

For more information on The Jasmine Project Kick Off Celebration, contact Matthew Beatty of Sonshine Communications at 305-948-8063.

WHO: UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS, HEALTHY START COALITION OF MIAMI-DADE AND CIVIC LEADERS

WHAT: THE JASMINE PROJECT KICK OFF CELEBRATION

WHEN: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010 â - 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
MEDIA PRESS CONFERENCE WITH CIVIC LEADERS: 11:30 A.M.

WHERE: FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY SMITH CONFERENCE CENTER â - 15800 N.W. 42ND AVENUE â - MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA (SIMPLY ENTER THROUGH THE MAIN CAMPUS ENTRANCE AND FOLLOW THE BALLOONS TO THE EVENT’S LOCATION.)