(Black PR Wire) DETROIT, MI – The Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association (BMBFA) is proud to announce it has received a $37,000 grant from the DMC Foundation. BMBFA is happy to make this announcement during World Doula Week, celebrated March 22-28th. The grant will support BMBFA’s community-based doula program by supporting personnel and increasing access.
BMBFA’s community-based doula program, which began in 2013, is designed to address maternal and child health inequities for Black mothers and babies in the Detroit metropolitan area. The Black community has long suffered from disproportionate levels of infant mortality, maternal morbidity, and pregnancy-related maternal deaths. By connecting expectant Black mothers to a doula at no cost, BMBFA ensures the success of both the mother and the child at every step before the birth and during the early post-partum period.
This new source of funding will allow BMBFA to expand the community-based doula program to new mothers in an expanded geographic area, increase the hours of support allotted to mothers, and strengthen the telehealth network currently in place. The implementation of these new changes will occur this year.
“In the current pandemic, where stress continues to take a toll on pregnant mothers, there is an absolute greater need for support. With DMC Foundation’s generous grant, we will be able to increase access to our community-based doula program to more expectant mothers in Detroit and bordering communities,” said Kiddada Green, executive director of BMBFA. “Black mothers will be able to look to their doula for relief as they persevere through systemic issues that are prevalent but too often ignored.”
“World Doula Week is a reminder to us all about the importance of doula care”, states Robena Hill, community-based doula for BMBFA. “Community-based doulas are trained community birth workers who provide culturally appropriate and kindred-spirited non-clinical emotional, physical and informational support before, during and after birth. I am particularly excited about the care that we provide, prenatally when mothers need it the most.”
The DMC Foundation’s extensive grant selection process aims to provide funding to organizations that improve health in Detroit’s underserved communities. “BMBFA is thankful for the support provided by the DMC Foundation and will utilize it to effectively carry out our mission statement,” says Green.
Find out more at https://blackmothersbreastfeeding.org/.
