In the Washington region, Black women are four times likelier than their white counterparts to die from childbirth and their infants are 10 times likelier to die than those born in the wealthiest communities. Committed to serving under-resourced families of color, Mamatoto fights this and other staggering disparities in maternal health care. Throughout pregnancy, and for the first three months after, mothers receive comprehensive, culturally-relevant services (health education, care coordination, labor and breastfeeding support, counseling, nutrition services, and social and mental health supports) that empower them to make informed decisions about their health, their parenting, and their lives. Inspired by the care they received, clients often return to serve their community as trained community health workers and lactation consultants – thereby increasing the number of women of color employed in maternal health. Because every mom and every baby deserves quality care.
Headquarters: DC-Ward 7
Where They Operate: DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 4; DC-Ward 5; DC-Ward 6; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8; MD-Montgomery County; MD-Prince George's County; VA-Arlington County; VA-City of Alexandria
Age Groups Served: Pre-teen/teen (12-17); Young adult (18-24); Adult (25-49)
Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Women/Girls
- Number of people (clients, patrons, students, etc) we serve annually:
450 - Percentage of Full Term Delivery:
86% - Percentage of mothers initiating breastfeeding:
80.4% - Percentage of mothers delivering a baby with a healthy birth weight:
82% - Percentage of live births:
98%
Awards & Recognition
Roslyn S. Jaffe Award (2014)
Press
- For African-American minority, pregnancy is risky
Sat Oct 27 2018, The Strait Times
The United States is in the grip of a maternal-health crisis and the capital, Washington DC, serves as a microcosm of the problem nationwide
- Why Are So Many Women Dying From Pregnancy in D.C.?
Mon Mar 26 2018, The Atlantic
Maternity Desert, a new documentary from The Atlantic, follows Amber Pierre, a 24-year-old African-American woman living in southeast D.C.
- A matter of life or death: DC has highest maternal mortality rate in US
Thu Mar 1 2018, WUSA9
DC has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the U.S. Research shows black women are a vunerable population.
- Maternal-child programs join the Neighborhood
Fri Mar 3 2017, Maternity Neighborhood Blog
As we learned about the rich networks of support for pregnant women, we recognized the need to work in partnership with one program.
- Bringing Community Health Workers to DC
Mon Feb 29 2016, Every Mother Counts Blog
Mamatoto Village trains and provides perinatal community health workers for some of Washington DC's most high-risk mothers.
Budget (FY2023)
- The current budget for Mamatoto Village is: $3 million or higher
- $1 million to $3 million
- $500k to $1 million
- Less than $500k
Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to
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