Member Announcement: Circle C Youth and Family Services Fundraiser

Support Circle C Youth and Family Services at the Rhythm House Cafe on Friday, September 19th at their 6th Annual "Help Kids Lose the Blues" fundraiser featuring Shari Richards with Norm Nardini and Tracy Lee. Tickets are $25, and all donations are tax deductible. Doors open at 7pm. For more information call 412.937.1605 ext. 227, or click here for more details.

Member Announcement: Every Child, Inc. and the Pennsylvania Department of Health Announce a Health Literacy Grant to Help Pregnant Women and Teens with Special Needs

Every Child, Inc. was recently awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to complete a project that will create an understandable and relevant print resource (also available in audio) to support teens and women's mental and physical health during pregnancy and birth. The booklet includes a comprehensive overview of the maternal health services they will be receive; a list of local community resources; personal stories from mothers who or were in need of pregnancy support and received doula services; and health tips for a positive pregnancy, birth, and child rearing experience. Additionally, community organizations such as adoption agencies, Planned Parenthood, health centers, middle and high schools, colleges, and hospitals will receive the booklet to use as a resource with teens and women. 

Every Child has provided health support for pregnant woman and teens with various disabilities and special healthcare needs and supported health literacy through the provision of Doula services. These services provide pregnant teens and women with a  certified doula who assists them with emotional support, comprehensible information regarding their pregnancy; elimination of poor health habits and/or addictions, attendance for prenatal visits, improved nutrition, home preparation for the infant, and birthing plans. To receive a copy of the booklet, please email clasky@everychildinc.org or visit www.everychildinc.org.  

About Every Child
Every Child, Inc. is a non-profit agency that provides an array of services and supports to help ensure that children have the opportunity to grow up with a safe, healthy, and lasting family.  The agency serves birth, foster, and adoptive families and children with special needs from Allegheny County and surrounding counties in South Western Pennsylvania. In its 11 years of operation, Every Child has helped over 3,500 vulnerable children have the stability and unconditional love that they deserve.

Those of us clients and friends of The Midwife Center understand its value first-hand and know how lucky we are to have access to an independent midwife practice. Now that the United States has the second worst newborn death rate in the developed world as more and more medical interventions during birth become commonplace, our center is even more precious. Ricki Lake's response to this crisis in birth was to produce a documentary film about birth titled The Business of Being Born. Please join us for a special screening of this powerful film at Waterworks Cinema in Aspinwall the morning of Saturday, October 4, 2008. The schedule for the morning is as follows: bagels and coffee will be available beginning at 9:30 a.m., a welcome and introduction to the film at 10:15 a.m., and the movie screening at 10:30 a.m. 
 
From the producers:
Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business. Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies.
The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal. Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?
 
If you haven't seen the film, you don't want to miss it.  Even if you have seen the film, please consider joining us for this event and inviting that friend you've been meaning to tell about the center. More women need to see that there is another way - this film will make it crystal clear. 
 
Tickets are just $10.00 each and all proceeds support The Midwife Center for Birth & Women's Health. For information visit www.midwifecenter.org or call 412 321-6884.

Member Announcement: Volunteer at Power!

Since its inception in 1991, POWER has taken steps to beautify POWER House, its 25-bed residential site in Swissvale. Because environment plays a significant role in the healing process, we strive to provide a living space that enhances the work of recovery. Our newest volunteer project gives members of the community an opportunity to impact our clients' lives. We are working with Phipps Master Gardener Bill Lucki of Natural Garden Designs in Monroeville on several therapeutic gardens to surround the house. These gardens will feature hardy, sustainable plants in soothing shades of pink, purple and blue. But before we can make our vision a reality, we need your help! We are seeking donations of plants, funding to support the project and the assistance of some rugged individuals who don't mind spending a few hours digging in the dirt. All contributions to the project will be recognized on a plaque displayed near the gardens. A full list of plants is available from Karen Clark, Volunteer Coordinator, at 412.271.0500, ext. 125 or kclark@power-recovery.com. Also, be sure to check out this piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which highlights the impact of a peaceful atmosphere on the recovery process.