With a focus on strengthening “birth equity” in the region, the San Diego Foundation announced Thursday it has awarded $250,000 to 10 local nonprofits supporting parents of young children.
Recent data from the San Diego Economic Equity Report found that Black infants “are twice as likely to be born at a low birth weight compared to white babies, which has lifelong health consequences,” Pamela Gray Payton, SDF vice president, said in a statement.
“Our partners throughout the region are working with expecting mothers and their babies to address this and similar disparities in local Black and Native American communities,” said Payton, who also serves as SDF’s chief impact and partnerships officer.
San Diego County’s Regional Equity Indicators Report defines low birth weight as below 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
Low birth weight is a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States “and is inequitably distributed across race/ethnicity groups in the region and across the country,” according to SDF.
According to the state Department of Public Health, low birth weight can happen due to preterm birth or fetal-growth restriction caused by poor nutrition, lack of prenatal care or stress.
To address the regional disparity, SDF gave second-year, $25,000 grants to organizations that help historically under-resourced communities and/or low-to-moderate-income families.
Local recipients are:
— Foundation for Women Warriors, supporting women veterans and their young children with access to early education and care, along with services centered on achieving birth equity, and improving maternal and child mental/behavioral health;
— Global Communities, which provides free prenatal and childbirth education, postpartum and breastfeeding support focused on Black and immigrant parents in the county, via its Healthy Start program;
— Home Start’s First 5 First Steps program, providing underserved parents with children 3 years or younger with home-based services, including therapy for child survivors of abuse and other trauma;
— Horn of Africa, which offers immigrant children and parents culturally tailored prenatal care and child development instruction, and access to healthcare and childcare;
— Indian Health Council Inc. and its “My Two Aunties” Tribal Family Services program supporting children up to age 5 and their families, with a focus on breastfeeding support  for young mothers, as a way to lower health disparities;
— Miracle Babies, which offers group and individual therapy, support and treatment for perinatal mothers experiencing or at risk of developing a maternal mental health disorder;
— Neighborhood House Association, which serves pregnant and postpartum Black women 16 and older who are pregnant or six months postpartum at the time of enrollment to improve infant and maternal health, while decreasing health and social inequities;
— Somali Family Service of San Diego SHIFA Pediatric Initiative, which provides services targeting early childhood education, prenatal and postpartum care, parenting education and service navigation;
— Southern Indian Health Council, which offers education on therapeutic modes recognized by the county’s Child Welfare Services that can be used by parents and young children; and
— United Women of East Africa Triple P Refugee Parenting Groups program, which supports young children up to age 5 and their families with affordable early education and care.
All of the organizations are multi-year grant recipients in the second year of funding, according to SDF.
After receiving the first grant, the 10 nonprofits served more than 3,000 local parents and children by offering education and care to prevent low birth weight, childcare stipends, critical supplies, culturally appropriate resources, and access to mental health and behavioral services, SDF said.
According to the organization, the first-year grant recipients were able to serve more local families, reported significant improvements in parent- child relationships and inspired other local foundations to support their work.
The grants followed recent government data “about the negative effects of the pandemic on both mothers and infants across the country, including widening disparities for Black and Native American mothers and babies,” SDF said.