Durham, N.C. – Durham County Cooperative Extension Welcome Baby Program Manager Patience Mukelabai was honored by the North Carolina Association of Counties as a local hero as part of its Heroic Hands initiative during the organization’s 118^th annual conference in Pitt County (Greenville) on Thursday, August 21, 2025.

The Heroic Hands: Celebrating Public Service, is the initiative of outgoing NCACC President Tare “T” Davis of Warren County, with the mission to honor the often-unseen but deeply felt contributions of county staff and the essential roles of public service workers – from first responders and public health staff to parks and recreation, finance, public works, and more.

Mukelabai was nominated for the award by County Manager Claudia Hager.

“For 17 years, Patience Mukelabai has been one of Durham County's quiet champions for families during their most vulnerable moments as the Welcome Baby Program Manager for the past seven years and as a parent educator for the 10 before,” said Hager. “Patience has helped establish Durham as a model for comprehensive family services. Her hands-on leadership embodies the true spirit of public service, using compassion and expertise to create meaningful change one family at a time. She represents the heroic hands that build stronger communities through the transformative power of early childhood support.”

Mukelabai, who started working for Durham County in January 2008, received her bachelor’s in business administration from North Carolina Central University and earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), both in community health and preventative medicine, from Walden University.

Mukelabai said she is thankful for the recognition and hopes it helps her continue with her passions surrounding maternal and child health issues, public health education and keeping and maintaining the health of the public through education.

“I believe as a society we need to invest in the first five years of a child's life because these are the most important ones,” said Mukelabai. “Ninety percent of the brain development occurs during those years. Laying a strong foundation is the best thing we can do.”

Since 1987, Welcome Baby has strengthened families with young children in the Durham County community. Under Mukelabai’s leadership, the program has transformed into one of Durham’s cornerstone resources for reducing adverse childhood experiences, improving school readiness, and combating parental isolation.

Mukelabai has led an evidence-based approach at Welcome Baby which recognizes that early intervention is far more effective than addressing problems after they are entrenched. Welcome Baby offers parenting classes, car seat safety classes, the Giving Closet, Cribs for Kids, annual winter coat and children’s sock drives, and much more. Most recently, staff are reaching more fathers through a strategic Fatherhood Initiative and is helping families who have children with autism through evidence-based programming.

“Every day, Patience works directly with families who need support the most. She doesn't just manage programs from behind a desk – she facilitates classes, connects with parents, and builds the community bonds that transform lives,” said Durham Cooperative Extension Director Donna Rewalt. “Her approach combines immediate help with long-term systemic change, addressing both urgent needs and root causes. Annually, the program impacts over 3,000 families.”

For more information about Welcome Baby, visit their website at www.welcomebaby.org or call 919-560-7150.

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