P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. Center® Founding Mothers Gina Merola, Elizabeth Hale, Chris Linn, Shannon Goldwater
Many of life’s greatest accomplishments are derived from the personal experience and hardships of others who have walked before us. P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. Center® is pioneering change because no other organization of its kind exists.
2006
The Center is founded with initial funding from a generous donation by one of the founding families. It is incorporated as the Goldwater Pediatric Feeding Center, a nonprofit organization, in the state of Arizona. The “four founding mothers” come together to achieve a common goal: to help children with feeding challenges and create a support system for their families.
2007
The “four founding mothers” establish the name P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. Center® and meet with community leadership to define the role and evolution of a greatly needed inter-disciplinary feeding center. Marketing collaterals are created, a website launched, a strategic plan developed and the organization is qualified as a 501(c)(3) organization. The first program service offering is a monthly parent support group meeting.
2008
The Board of Directors begins to meet and the first Executive Director is hired. Outreach, community awareness and educational activities are established: a parent professional workshop featuring a nationally-recognized guest speaker; a National Collaboration Project with the objective of creating evidence-based standards of care for early identification of feeding difficulties and a provision for guidance on appropriate early intervention techniques and treatments; the production of a video; the establishment of hosting information booths at Pediatric conferences; the creation of a medical professional outreach program in partnership with Southwest Human Development, focusing on education and awareness to identify feeding issues earlier; co-hosting a Pediatric Feeding Disturbances conference in partnership with Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Easter Seals Southwest Human Development. The initial development of an age-specific screening tool for Pediatricians and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit professionals to utilize for better identification of children with feeding struggles at the earliest point possible is begun (website tool).
2009
A 10 month workshop series for parents and professionals featuring a nationally-recognized guest speaker is created. Several collaborations begin: the establishment of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) outreach program in partnership with several community NICU centers; the development of plans for Post Graduate Professional Feeding Certification Programs with ASU and local community partners; the creation of parent and professional feeding workshops related to autism in partnership with Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center. Unilever agrees to allow P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. Center® to use the trademark name and logo. A Community Advisory Board is established.
2010
P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. Center® hosts the 2nd conference featuring local medical professionals and nationally-recognized experts and the 2nd National Collaboration meeting with Professional Advisory Committee and National Advisors. Work continues on creating a website tool. Restructuring of the organization including the revision of the mission and vision statements, the creation of a strategic plan and Board committees focusing on organizational priorities: Education, Advocacy, Treatment and Research, and Resource Development. Our staffing increased with the hiring of an Office Manager and a Development Director. An educational webinar is presented and the development of an enhanced website is begun.
2011
Developing Accredited Educational Webinar and new enhanced website.