A Louisville nonprofit is receiving $5.5 million in federal funding for a new maternal health program.
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Black Birth Justice, founded in 2021 to protect Black mothers and combat maternal and infant mortality, was awarded the Healthy Start grant through a subagency of the Department of Health and Human Services to jumpstart its “Healthy Beginnings Connect Us” program, according to a release from the organization.
The program, beginning in August, will help around 700 families annually access health services including doula and midwife care; educational resources for birthing and caregiving; essentials like diapers and wipes and car seats.
Meka Kpoh, founder and executive director of Black Birth Justice, said the team has maternal and children’s health experts specializing in various fields, many of who formerly participated in the Healthy Start grant.
“It was the perfect time for the families who have been most impacted by the Healthy Start grant over the last 25 years to lead the work through Healthy Beginnings Connect Us,” Kpoh said.
Victoria Jones, project director and former grant participant, looks forward to her role in the upcoming project.
“Starting as a participant in the Healthy Start, I was provided the space and opportunity to grow and impact my community, and it has been incredibly rewarding. It is my belief that we are shaped by our experiences and we all have the ability to make positive change in the world. We just needed the opportunity and the right people to activate that power,” Jones said. “Our willingness and ability to connect with one another will determine the health of our families and community.”