Palm Harbor and Dunedin families with babies and toddlers can get free bags stuffed with books, toys and brain-building activities as the Juvenile Welfare Board's Turbo Babies program expands into preschools countywide.

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, known as JWB, is an independent special taxing district created by the Florida Legislature in 1945 and approved by county voters the following year. Governed by an 11-member board, JWB invests property tax dollars in programs for children and families.

The program targets children from birth through age 3 and centers on a simple idea: parents are a child's best teacher, not a screen. Each "Pit Crew" bag gives caregivers hands-on tools tied to four daily habits the program promotes: tune in, talk and repeat, take turns and take time.

"We were presented with the jaw-dropping statistic that 80 percent of brain growth occurs in the first three years of life," Elicia Hinson, JWB associate manager of marketing, said in a July 31 report by 83 Degrees Media. "The board decided to do something to support this crucial time in life and equip parents with the tools to encourage their baby's healthy brain development."

JWB funds the entire program. No subscription or gadget purchase is required.

The preschool expansion arrives ahead of the Aug. 11 Pinellas County Schools start date. JWB's fiscal-year goal is to reach roughly 7,749 children under 3, about 35 percent of the county's estimated 22,140 in that age group, by Sept. 30, according to the agency's annual report.

Pit Crew bags were already available at Pinellas County public libraries during National Library Week in April. JWB Interim CEO Mike Mikurak told WFLA at the time that "zero to three is the most important part of their life because that's when their brain grows."

Monica Parrish, 36, has used the program's resources with her daughter Maylani since birth. Maylani, now 2, was expected to say about 10 words at a developmental milestone but was instead naming every person, animal and object around her.

"Her vocabulary is off the meters," Parrish said. "I recommend this program to everyone because you want your child to be ahead of all the new technology and to succeed."

Parent ProTech partnership

JWB also partnered in 2025 with Parent ProTech, a digital literacy platform co-founded by CEO Brock Murphy, to give Pinellas families a free one-year digital safety subscription. The two organizations produced a video showing how screen-free interactions build stronger neural connections than any app.

Murphy said Parent ProTech "closes that gap, giving parents and communities the training and tools to guide and prepare kids through social media, AI and future developments, without requiring them to be tech experts."

How to sign up

Families can join the Pit Crew and receive free resources by visiting the Turbo Babies sign-up page at jwbpinellas.org or emailing [email protected]. The free Parent ProTech subscription is available at jwbpinellas.org/parent-protech/.

Coming up

• Aug. 11 — Pinellas County Schools first day of classes
• Sept. 30 — JWB's deadline to reach 7,749 children under 3 through Turbo Babies