COMMUNITY News:SANTA FE ― Many Mothers is celebrating 15 years of providing free, in-home mentoring, care and nurturing support to any family following the birth or adoption of a baby.
Many Mothers is a volunteer, community-based organization that is the 21st century version of an extended family. Their free services are available to any family regardless of income level. In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 10-16), Many Mothers is proud to be celebrating the wonderful, dedicated team of volunteers who are the backbone of the program.
Did you know?
- A new mother’s stress can have serious long-term effects on her child.
- Extended families and community services are often unavailable or unable to provide consistent and needed support.
- Bonding and attachment are essential for a baby’s development and long-term health and wellbeing.
- Many Mothers is the only Santa Fe organization providing support that focuses entirely on the needs of the new mother.
Former board member and long-term volunteer Sheila Stalder says, “After caring for several families over the years, I have had the honor and great satisfaction that comes from working with some amazing moms. Some of the mothers I’ve helped include a mother studying for, and obtaining, a nursing degree; a mom who was healing from a C-section while trying to care for a newborn and an 18 month-old; a mother who needed help writing a résumé and finding a job to support her family; and three moms who were diagnosed with Postpartum Depression. What I learned from all of these families was what Anne McCormick understood when she founded Many Mothers: Any new mother, regardless of income, ethnicity, or cultural background, can be at risk for depression, fatigue, overwhelming stress, or feelings of isolation. Many Mothers volunteers provide the care, mentoring and nurturing support that enables them to provide for the emotional and physical wellbeing of their babies, Santa Fe’s newest and most vulnerable members.”
“Many Mothers’ founder Anne McCormick’s vision was a neighbor-to-neighbor support system for families with new babies centered on the new mom and her needs,” Executive Director Nancy Guthrie said. “Fifteen years later our volunteer home visitors are still the core of that support system. The families we support tell beautiful stories of the support they receive from their volunteers.”
Executive Director Nancy Guthrie and Volunteer Sheila Stalder are available for interviews. For more information, visit here.
