We all want to provide a safe, healthy environment for our children where they are given the security they need to develop and grow. However, for Black women, the lack of equitable care and feelings of isolation can drastically hinder these goals. Caring for a newborn is already a challenge for parents for so many reasons. Access to healthy, nutritious food shouldn’t compound those challenges.
To assist with this vital need for support, The Nurturing Collaborative was created by Vanessa D. Johnson, a Registered Nurse and Doula and the Founder and Executive Director of Birthworkers United. Through our close partnership, The Nurturing Collaborative is at the forefront of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s pursuit of innovative programming outside of conventional food banking methods, focusing on improving Black maternal health and birthing outcomes in the City of Milwaukee and its surrounding communities.
Every month, our dedicated program staff and volunteers pack and coordinate delivery for personalized Nourishing and Nurturing Boxes to support new parents and their growing babies. These boxes contain medically tailored, fresh and nutritious food options, with recipes carefully curated by Registered Dietitian, Dr. Yvonne Greer, as well as educational books, diapers, and various other wellness items intended to pamper mom and baby for the first year of life. Many of the wellness items included in these boxes are sourced primarily from local Black-owned, women-led businesses.
In addition to providing Nourishing and Nurturing Boxes, The Nurturing Collaborative also strives to create a village of support and social connectedness for participants through a series of educational workshops that target varied components of social determinants of health, including prenatal and postpartum education and support, stress relief, self-care, food preparation, mental health, and community networking. These workshops are hosted and facilitated by Birthworkers United, Y-Eat Right, and local wellness experts.
"No pregnant family should be worried about food access or feel unseen throughout their perinatal journey. My vision for this initiative was to create a safe space for our pregnant families to build a village of support, as well as to provide a nurturing foundation by offering nutritious food options along the way."
Vanessa D. Johnson, RN, CLS, LMT, Doula, Founder of Birthworkers United
Our goal is to help bridge the gap for new parents and babies, ensuring that everyone can thrive and begin this new journey on a solid foundation built from community support and proper nourishment.
The Nurturing Collaborative identifies local BIPOC expectant parents who will greatly benefit from essential care packages. Each month these packages are tailored to benefit the parents and baby throughout every stage of their growth.
Our monthly Nourishment Boxes are filled with healthy foods that are tailored to meet the demand of the developing baby, as well as nutritional support for the pregnant person. Our Nurturing Boxes are distributed twice throughout the year, and are filled with a variety of items ranging from self-care tools, relaxation tools, baby items, and more!
All of the items in the Nurturing Boxes are curated by a team of perinatal wellness experts through Birthworkers United, Inc., and the items are sourced from local BIPOC owned businesses in Milwaukee. These amazing boxes are then packed by a team of local, dedicated volunteers organized by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
Ongoing quarterly health and wellness workshops, hosted by Birthworkers United and other community partners, will convene throughout the entire initiative. These workshops will focus on prenatal and postpartum support, nutrition, mental health, stress reduction, and community resources, which will help foster a growing, supportive community network. The participants will have opportunities to gather in person or virtually.
Families will also have the opportunity to participate in prenatal and postpartum yoga and meditation classes hosted by Birthworkers United, and offered multiple times per month, creating a well rounded initiative that centers nutrition, social connectedness, and physical health and wellness.
Program Partners
Register to Participate
Please click the button below to fill out a registration form to be considered for The Nurturing Collaborative program. Once you submit the form, we will reach out to you to provide further details. If you have any questions about the program or are in need of Prenatal or Postpartum Support, please email Vanessa D. Johnson at Birthworkers United at [email protected].
