By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medum
The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has announced the awarding of funds to five community partner organizations as part of the 2024 Prenatal-to-Three (PN3) Community Grant. The recipients—Therapy Fund Foundation, Native Family Learning Lodge, Villa Comunitaria, Unified Outreach, and Rainier Valley Birth & Health Center—will each receive $298,000 over two years, totaling $1.49 million in funding.
PN3 funds are intended to improve kindergarten readiness by reducing race, gender-based, and other socioeconomic health disparities for young children and their families during the birth-to-three age period. Programming will serve Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color through culturally and linguistically responsive prenatal-to-three resources and offerings.
“We seek to cultivate a more resilient One Seattle by investing in programs that support the members of our community most impacted by disparities in maternal and infant health,” says Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “The City of Seattle is proud of these community-led organizations and their efforts to advocate for infants and their families. Together, we seek to fortify the wellness of our littlest residents, increasing equitable access to much-needed resources and support. When we support our youngest children and families in need, we commit to building a strong, healthy future for our city.”
Although PN3 program services are offered citywide, they are prioritized more in the South Seattle communities. The award aims to reduce disparities by funding community-informed proposals that address barriers to healthy outcomes.
Awarded proposals center strategies and approaches that:
• provide families access to critical resources and services supporting healthy and equitable births,
• increase parental physical and mental health and well-being, especially during the perinatal period,
• strengthen nurturing and responsive caregiver-child relationships, and
• promote optimal child health and development.
Given the landscape of persistent race-based disparities in perinatal wellness, the PN3 Community Grant seeks to increase access to culturally responsive care and support, as the risk for adverse perinatal health outcomes is three to four times higher for Black women and birthing people than their white counterparts, regardless of income or education. This increased likelihood of adverse birth outcomes exists for Native American and Alaska Native communities as well.
“This award allows our organization to continue pursuing our mission of creating a stronger community,” says Cindy Chibertoni, Villa Comunitaria Children & Family Development Coordinator. “I am relieved and excited that our Children and Family Development Program has received this funding. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact and envision a community where all families thrive and participate.”
Ashley McGirt-Adair, Founder and CEO of Therapy Fund Foundation, a local non-profit committed to empowering people of color through mental health education and radical self-care, and one of the 2024 PN3 grantees, believes that the early years of a child’s life are critically formative and set the foundation for their long-term health, development, and well-being.
The Therapy Fund Foundation’s programs prioritize Black families, including formerly incarcerated, unhoused, victims of sexual violence, and/or LGBTQIA birthing persons, and will utilize the PN3 award to offer evidence-based treatments, including mindfulness techniques and African-centered healing modalities, with free mental health therapy for 80 families annually.
“By providing resources and support during this pivotal period, we are not only fostering healthy development in children but also empowering families with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive,” says McGirt-Adair. “This grant not only empowers our organization but also stands as a testament to the importance of investing in the future of Black children and their families. It is a commitment to breaking down the barriers that have historically marginalized our community and a step towards achieving equity in health and well-being.”
Like McGirt-Adair, Faisa Farole, Founder and Executive Director of Global Perinatal Services (GPS), an organization and community birth center serving primarily immigrant and refugee communities, is proud of the in-house counseling services she can offer to her staff and clients, thanks to the help of the PN3 Community Grant from DEEL.
While the communities GPS serves do not seek out mental health services regularly, Farole believes mental health services are important for our communities to be mindful of.
“Mental health services are just as important as physical health services, and we want to normalize this for the communities we serve,” says Farole.
In addition to mental health services, grantee organizations will provide a range of key services and support services, including doula care, birth support, lactation education, health screenings, and early intervention assessments, and DEEL Director Dr. Dwane Chappelle expressed enthusiasm about the launch of programs funded through the PN3 Community Grant.
“We are proud to support the innovative approaches our Prenatal-to-Three partners have designed to meet the needs of Seattle infants, toddlers, and their families,” says Chappelle. “Early supports and interventions lead to improved health and education outcomes for a lifetime, and we look forward to the many ways these intentional and responsive efforts will allow children throughout our community to thrive.”
