History

Two women hugging each other in a room.

2007 - 2009

  • BirthMatters received a planning grant from the Mary Black Foundation
  • Spartanburg Regional Healthcare Foundation housed BirthMatters
  • BirthMatters conducted focus groups, visited existing doula programs in Atlanta and Pittsburgh, collected data and submitted grants during planning
  • Committed to serving young mothers younger than 20 years old

2009 - 2010

  • Partnered with ReGenesis Health Care. BirthMatters became a program of ReGenesis Health Care
  • Secured funding from S.C. Competitive Grant, Spartanburg Regional Foundation, Longleaf Holdings LCC and Mary Black Foundation
  • Offered DONA (Doulas of North America) training to 10 women in Spartanburg
  • The trained BirthMatters doula team supported over 30 mothers and families with birth doula services with good outcomes.
  • Partnered with HealthConnect One to replicate their community based doula program
  • HealthConnect One trained 6 trainers to provide the community doula training in Spartanburg
  • Provided opportunities for interested women living in the Southside community to commit to the 20 week community doula training
  • Started the community based training at Cornerstone Baptist Church
  • Celebrated completion of community based doula training with a six graduates
Two women hugging each other in a room.

2011

  • BirthMatters doulas in Spartanburg and Cherokee County supported over sixty families with doula services, with a total of 750 prenatal sessions and 370 postpartum sessions
  • Secured federal funding from HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) to expand services in Cherokee County
  • Completed the replicated twenty session Community Doula Training in Cherokee County and Spartanburg County
  • Hired three full time community doulas to serve first time moms in Cherokee County
  • The BirthMatters team attended the HealthConnect One training in Washington, D.C.
  • Presented at two conferences. HealthConnect One and APHA (American Public Health Association)
  • BirthMatters team attended the SC Campaign to Prevent Team Pregnancy conference and the Children’s Trust conference
  • Completed the HealthConnect One replicated ten session peer breastfeeding training to increase knowledge for staff to ensure improved breastfeeding rates
  • In August, BirthMatters hosted a community wide event to raise awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding at the Spartanburg County Library
  • Provided breast pumps to twenty moms to help increase long term breastfeeding rates
  • BirthMatters expanded their services to include the teen pregnancy prevention program, What Could You Do?
  • Secured funding from United Way, S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and Mary Black Foundation

2012

  • BirthMatters became an independent non profit by receiving 501 (c) 3 status on July 9, 2012
  • BirthMatters doulas in Spartanburg and Cherokee County supported fifty-three families with doula services, with a total of 1087 prenatal sessions and 963 postpartum sessions
  • Served 120 young girls in Spartanburg County with teen pregnancy prevention program
  • Secured new funding from March of Dimes and United Way

2013

  • Secured new funding from Women Giving and Spartanburg Regional Foundation
  • Continued funding from United Way, Mary Black Foundation, March of Dimes, and S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy