Along with being a doula, I am a member of the Delta Pi Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. One of our national projects is Project Cradle Care (PCC). The goal is to raise awareness of unequal and discriminatory maternal and infant health outcomes Black women endure through community outreach, advocacy, education, and bias training. Black women, regardless of educational level, socioeconomic status, health insurance coverage, proximity to health care services, marital status, and other health behaviors, are twelve times more likely to die from pregnancy and delivery complications in some parts of our country. This is a serious health care issue as it affects over 22 million individuals, excluding the men and children who become adversely affected by poor outcomes. In collaboration with The March of Dimes, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority aims to address the various issues that adversely affect Black maternal and infant health outcomes and life course.
On February 7, 2023, we threw our first community baby shower in collaboration with Macon-Bibb County EOCI’s Early Head Start Mass Registration Kickoff in Macon, GA. We were able to give out prenatal and postpartum information, baby bags, bassinets, a whole pack of diapers, and a drawstring bag full of goodies to 34 prenatal moms! Mrs. Patricia Prime of Prime BabyTime Consulting, LLC and It Takes a Village – Maternal Health Expo provided postpartum information to our prenatal moms and donated for the raffle prizes!! Soror Alice Wright at the Macon Department of Public Health donated three boxes of baby bags!! Choosing A Quality Life (CQUL) and The Southern Center for Choice Theory, LLC provided us with the majority of our goodies that we were able to give to the prenatal moms (baby blankets, bibs, Honey Pot pads, etc.). Anita R. Howard, District Attorney, Macon Judicial Circuit’s office provided our prenatal moms with bassinets and refreshments!! Soror Amil Jones and Ms. Ariel Hendricks Johnson donated items and money towards raffle prizes!!! Soror Courtney Traylor donated preemie diapers!!!
We are looking forward to throwing another community baby shower next year!!!
