Pinellas Organization Works with Local Libraries to Support Early Childhood Learning

A local Pinellas organization, JWB, is partnering with libraries across the county to provide development and learning resources to families. Their Turbo Babies Pit Crew bags are available for free at 14 Pinellas County libraries. 

Turbo Babies was created to foster early connections, nurture babies’ drive to learn, and support parents. Recently, one of the resources they began offering are Pit Crew bags–a free bag with a book, a toy, and teaching tips for parents. 

Elicia Hinson, the Associate Manager of Marketing for Turbo Babies, says parents are a child’s first teacher. 

“80% of brain growth happens in the first three years of life, and so we want parents to know it’s a really crucial time for that baby’s learning and development,” said Hinson. “We want parents to have those connections with that child, so the child has a trusted caregiver. That makes such a big difference in how a child’s brain forms.”

Peggy Matthes, an assistant youth services librarian at the Barbara S Ponce Library, says these bags have been a huge help for parents. 

“For us, it kind of is a physical resource that we pass on to the parents and then the parents have something that they can kind of go through and get ideas from because everybody’s just like, ‘oh, let’s have the babies; let’s start a family,’ but they don’t come with any instructions,” said Matthes. 

Where you can get a bag

• Clearwater Main Library – 100 N Osceola Ave, Clearwater, FL 33755
• Dunedin Public Library – 223 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL 34698
• East Lake Community Library – 4125 E Lake Rd S, Palm Harbor, FL 34685
• Gulf Beaches Public Library – 200 Municipal Dr, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
• Gulfport Public Library – 5501 28th Ave S, Gulfport, FL 33707
• Largo Public Library – 120 Central Park Dr, Largo, FL 33771
• Oldsmar Public Library – 400 St Petersburg Dr E, Oldsmar, FL 34677
• Palm Harbor Public Library – 2330 Nebraska Ave, Palm Harbor, FL 34683
• Pinellas Park Barbara S. Ponce Library – 7770 52nd St N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
• Safety Harbor Public Library – 101 2nd St N, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
• Seminole Community Library – 9200 113th St N, Seminole, FL 33772
• St. Petersburg President Barack Obama Main Library – 3745 9th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713
• St. Pete Beach Public Library – 365 73rd Ave, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
• Tarpon Springs Public Library – 138 E Lemon Street, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

For more information on Turbo Babies, visit turbobabies.com.

View the article and listen to the segment as originally published at https://www.wmnf.org/pinellas-organization-turbo-babies-offers-free-learning-bags/.