Omaha nonprofit receives grant for doula health services

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A nonprofit is getting a boost to expand its services for pregnant women.

A Mother’s Love is a doula agency that advocates and supports women during pregnancy.

They recently received a $20,000 grant to focus on pregnant women of color in the North Omaha community.

According to the CDC, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related issues than white women. Multiple factors contribute to this disparity such as implicit bias and social issues that prevent minority groups from accessing quality healthcare.

“The importance of having a doula is someone that is educated and kind of like a subject matter person that knows more about the care that you need to receive while you are pregnant,” said Shanika King, the Executive Director of A Mother’s Love. “A doula as far is an advocate for you to get the care that you need.”

“I’ll ask her like, well, when I go into birth and give labor, am I going to feel it if I get the epidural? She tells me, trust me you’ll be fine. You’ll be fine,” said doula client Heavenly Wright.

The $20,000 dollar grant from the Omaha Community Foundation’s 2022 African American Unity Fund will pay for free doula services next year for 20 pregnant women next year.

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