Ocala, Fla. — New parents or soon-to-be parents have an opportunity to grab some swag and some advice on boosting their parenting skills by attending the annual “World’s Greatest Baby Shower” on Friday, Jan. 27.

The free event is scheduled for two sessions at the Kingdom Revival Church, 3318 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, adjacent to the Publix in the Forty East Shopping Center.

The first session is scheduled 2–4 p.m., the second for 5–7 p.m.

The Baby Shower is organized and hosted by the Healthy Start Coalition of North Central Florida.

The Florida Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) will participate with representatives of several departments on hand. They include: Healthy Start, Safe Kids, WIC, and Family Planning.

This year’s event returns to in-person attendance instead of being drive-thru. It is free for parents who are expecting a child or who have children 12 months old or younger. Fathers are encouraged to attend.

Each family will receive educational and community-resource information. Families also could win prizes that include items such as cribs, umbrella strollers, baby bathtubs, play yards, toys, clothing, car seats, playmats, and more.

The World’s Greatest Baby Shower is co-sponsored by AdventHealth Ocala, the Early Learning Coalition of Marion County, Suncoast Credit Union and many local service organizations.

The Healthy Start program is available to pregnant women and women with children up to 3 years old and their families.

The program is free to qualified families and provides education about childbirth, breastfeeding, parenting, and other topics.

Healthy Start also offers resource information, case management, and care coordination services to improve birth outcomes and decrease infant mortality. Healthy Start staff members visit families in their homes and virtually, providing individualized care.

For more information about the Healthy Start program, contact DOH-Marion at 352-644-2717, or visit marion.floridahealth.gov.

About the Florida Department of Health 

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.