We would like to send a big Thank You to Sylvia and Mark who visited FCI This year to purchase a beautiful ring setting into which Sylvia mounted her diamond. Sylvia works for The Linda Rey Center so we took a trip to see the wonderful work done by 'Infants in Need'.
'Infants In Need' is a non profit organization formed in 1987 to meet the special needs of infants and toddlers who were 'at risk' due to abuse, neglect, exposure to drugs or other conditions that interfere with normal development. Today research is conducted on infants prenatally exposed to crack cocaine by the University of Miami, Department of Psychology. This new research curriculum, headed and developed by the University of Miami's Psychology Professor Dr. Keith Scott, covers most aspects of child development including: motor skills, cognitive skills, social and emotional development and self help techniques.
These infants are enrolled during the first two months of life, with continuing support and evaluation until they are three to four years old and are able to enter a Head Start program with the Miami-Dade Community Action Agency. During this time at the Linda Rey Center, they receive primary medical care, social services, a nutritional supplement program and access to other community services.
Linda Ray Children's Center is so named by the Executive Board in honor of Linda Ray, whose dreams and passion for Children are today being fulfilled and whose vision brought this project about.
The Executive Board of 'Infants In Need' is composed of dedicated business people, doctors, attorneys, judges and various other community leaders, including two former Senators and Secretary of State, men and women sharing a common interest: their love of children and a recognition that the future lies in our children's hands.
The Board determined the mission of 'Infants In Need' would be 'To help the helpless, the children who cannot defend or speak for themselves, to give them hope, happiness, a sense of worth and to ensure them a childhood'.
Dr. Scott, while retaining his position at the University, has served as Executive Director since the inception of LRIC. This program today serves a total of 180 infants each year, and is considered a national pilot research model, the 'Outcome Curriculum' having been made nationally available.
One of the additional benefits of this new research program is the development of a new generation of professionals and teachers that are being trained to meet the needs of these special children. While none of us may ever expect to directly benefit from the outcome of Dr. Scott's work, life has a funny way of placing us in situations that we never anticipated, not unlike the situations we find ourselves in today!

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