mpact for families

In partnership with Maven Clinic, March for Moms selects one community-based organization that is addressing Black maternal health and a second community-based organization that is addressing Indigenous maternal health to support in a 12-month program called MPact for Families. The program also prioritizes organizations that provide a holistic care model to birthing people and their families.

The program provides financial support, mentoring, and skill support to each selected community-based organization that are filling gaps in the traditional health care system, and building the trust within their communities that is core to delivering better health outcomes.

About Maven Clinic
Maven is the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health, offering continuous, holistic care for fertility and family building through maternity, parenting, pediatrics and menopause. Maven’s award-winning digital programs are trusted by leading employers and health plans to reduce costs and drive better maternal health outcomes, as well as enhance DE&I in benefits programs. Founded in 2014 by CEO Kate Ryder, Maven has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and has 15 million lives under management. Maven has raised $300 million in funding from leading investors including General Catalyst, Sequoia, Oak HC/FT, Dragoneer Investment Group and Lux Capital. 

2023

Focus on Community-Based Organizations that Center Black and Indigenous Women in Holistic Care Models

The 2023-2024 MPact for Families Fellows are Village of Healing and Breath Of My Heart Birthplace!

Village of Healing offers a new approach to community wellness through Cuyahoga County’s first and only medical center focused on the health of Black women. The Village of Healing Center delivers quality health care services that meet the social and cultural needs of patients in the greater Cleveland community by offering gynecology, obstetrics, mental health services, telehealth, and community programs.

Breath of My Heart Birthplace is a midwifery care clinic and birth center in the Española Valley of New Mexico. Through its free walk-in clinic, birth services, and holistic fertility and preconception care, Breath of My Heart meets the needs of birthing people and families before, during, and after birth.

“The power of community-based models cannot be overstated in turning the tide on the maternal health crisis and ensuring every person receives the care and support they need as they build their family,” said Kate Ryder, founder and CEO of Maven. “We’re excited to build on the momentum from the first year of the MPact for Families program and support this new cohort as they scale their impact.”

Providing culturally competent care for every woman and family is at the forefront of Maven’s work, including the MPact for Families program. Maven’s virtual care model delivers personalized support that’s tailored to meet the unique needs, circumstances and experiences of each person. Through care matching, members have access to a personalized care team who share their language, cultural background and lived experiences, including specialists who are of a specific race, gender, or sexual orientation.

“We know the community has solutions to the challenges experienced by Black and Indigenous birthing people, and it is important for us to partner with those who are the most impacted in shaping and scaling those solutions. With our second MPact for Families cohort, March for Moms and Maven continue to invest the time, talent, and financial resources to ensure that maternal health community-based organizations can focus on building a sustainable and resilient organization that can serve moms, birthing people, and families for many years to come,” said Laneceya Russ, Executive Director of March for Moms.

2022

Inaugural MPact for Families Fellows

Maven Clinic, the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health, and March for Moms, a non-profit that improves the health and wellbeing of mothers through advocacy and awareness, announced MPact for Families, a new program to invest in community-based organizations (CBOs) advancing maternal health. The program provides financial, mentoring, and skill support to community-based organizations that are filling gaps in the traditional health care system, and building the trust within their communities that is core to delivering better health outcomes.

The launch of MPact for Families comes at a time when the maternal health crisis continues to worsen, especially for mothers of color. According to the CDC, Black and Indigenous mothers in the United States are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white mothers on average. There are many social and structural factors that contribute to these disparities, including a lack of access to high-quality health care. More than 7 million women of childbearing age in the United States live in counties with limited or no access to maternity care. Research has shown that community-based approaches can play a role in addressing these gaps in care and improving maternal health outcomes.

Through MPact for Families, Maven Clinic and March for Moms are supporting two organizations in a 12-month program:

Black Mamas ATX: Black Mamas ATX’s mission is to ensure that Black women survive and thrive before, during and after childbirth. Through culturally congruent programs including free doula support and monthly Sister Circle support groups, Black Mamas ATX is leading the charge in Central Texas to help Black mothers get the resources needed to have healthy pregnancies and birthing experiences.

Chocolate Milk Mommies: Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Chocolate Milk Mommies seeks to decrease racial disparities in black maternal and child health by implementing initiatives that support breastfeeding and increase access to maternal and child health care resources. These programs include free support from a licensed lactation counselor, breast pump rental programs, and virtual mommy meetups.

“As Maven seeks to transform the way women and families are cared for across the country, we are thrilled to partner with March for Moms to support organizations like Black Mamas ATX and Chocolate Milk Mommies that are providing exceptional levels of support to their communities and whose programs can serve as models nationwide,” said Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven.

“Maven’s health equity strategy recognizes that community-based organizations are essential to addressing the many disparities we see in maternal health across the United States, which is why we’re excited to invest in organizations like Black Mamas ATX and Chocolate Milk Mommies,” said Dr. Dawn Godbolt, Director of Health Equity at Maven.

 

 

“In partnership with Maven, the goal of MPact for Families is to invest time, talent and treasures in the community-based organizations that are helping families thrive, and demonstrating tremendous resilience to serve their communities despite financial constraints and limited staff capacity,” said Laneceya Russ, Executive Director of March for Moms.

The launch of MPact for Families is part of Maven’s broader commitment to health equity and to driving better maternal and child health outcomes. Maven’s virtual care model delivers support and care tailored to every parent’s unique needs, circumstances, and experiences, helping reduce health disparities and improve outcomes. 38% of Maven’s providers identify as Latine, Black, Asian, or Middle Eastern, and are committed to creating a safe space where every person is heard and their health needs are met. Through care matching, Maven Care Advocates can work with members to assemble a personalized care team that is matched to their unique needs and lived experiences, including providers who are of a specific race, gender, or sexual orientation.

“In a state like Texas where Black women account for 11% of births but 31% of maternal deaths, Black Mamas ATX is crucial to the wellbeing of our community, and we look forward to scaling our impact through partnerships with like-minded organizations like Maven and March for Moms,” said Kelenne Blake-Fallon, Executive Director of Black Mamas ATX.

“As Chocolate Milk Mommies advances its work to address racial disparities in breastfeeding and ensure Black women have what they need to breastfeed, we’re excited to partner with Maven and March for Moms to touch the lives of many more families in Alabama and throughout the country,” said Tiffany Campbell, President of Chocolate Milk Mommies.