Help us Open a Birth Center in Philadelphia!

The Philadelphia Midwife Collective is a nonprofit midwifery practice based in Mt. Airy and we are raising funds to open a freestanding birth center in Philadelphia. We are thrilled to announce that we have purchased a property in Northwest Philadelphia! Please help us reach our goal of $500,000, which will be used to open a facility in historic Germantown/Mt. Airy in 2023.

 

Our goal is to provide intimate, inclusive, and socially conscious community midwifery that is unlike anything currently available in the area.

 

Why a Nonprofit Birth Center?

 

Infant and maternal mortality rates are higher in America than anywhere else in the developed world. What’s more -- marginalized populations such as BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folks are disproportionately affected:

 

- Nationally, Black women die at four times the rate of non-hispanic white women due to pregnancy-related complications

 

- In Philadelphia, 74% of recorded maternal deaths were in the Black community

 

- LGBTQ+ individuals face health disparities linked to societal stigma, discrimination and denial of their civil and human rights

 

In contrast, birth center care recognizes and celebrates people’s dignity and humanity. It is also safe and effective:

 

- Nine out of ten birthing people (94%) who enter labor planning a birth center birth achieve a vaginal birth.

 

- This means that the C-section rate in birth centers is more than four times lower than what is seen among low-risk patients in the U.S., which decreases short and long-term health implications for mothers and babies.

 

Opening a birth center in Philadelphia will be a transformative step toward making holistic health care options more accessible to residents of the city and the surrounding area while contributing to a broader effort to provide care that is safe, affirming, and person-centered. As a nonprofit, clients are assured that our work and our values are driven by the community rather than profits.

 

Where are Contributions Going?

 

The property we purchased meets many of our needs; it's spacious with plenty of parking and located near public transit and a hospital for transfer if needed. However, the property needs a significant buildout for us to comply with state licensure and local building code. This is exciting because we get bring our birth center dreams to life by customizing a cozy and safe space for providing care. Still, we need the help of our neighbors, donors, family and friends to midwife this baby into the community. Additionally to a buildout, birth centers require many other startup costs, such as legal, licensing, administrative and insurance. Our Board of Directors volunteer their time and expertise; the money raised here helps us pay our bills while focusing on getting our doors open ASAP!

 

Why Northwest Philly?

 

Germantown and Mt. Airy are within city limits and is easily accessible by public transit. We like it here and our clients do, too. With an 80% African American population, and a sizeable LGBTQ+ community, we will be able to serve those who can most benefit from the midwifery model of care.

 

What if PMC doesn't meet its fundraising goal?

 

While this campaign is certainly intended to raise money, we also want to raise awareness of the need for midwifery care and help our city to connect with our mission. So it's a win-win no matter what. We are fortunate to have a robust fundraising plan, an engaged Board of Directors and a wonderful community of partners who believe in this work. If we do not meet our fundraising goal, PMC remains committed to opening the birth center doors. We have been working toward this goal for 5 years and don't intend to stop until we see this service in our community! While our model of care is fiscally sound long term, birth center startup costs are high for a small midwifery practice and non profit and our financial stability depends on YOU. Every penny donated will make the birth center sustainable for PMC so that we can continue to provide reproductive health services in our new home, a home that you help build, for many years to come. At the end of the campaign, we will host a celebration that invites donors to place their signature on a commemorative document that will be beautifully displayed on our "Founding Family" wall in our new space.

 

About The Philadelphia Midwife Collective

 

PMC is operated by Mac Vantilburg, CNM in response to a stark gap in services in Philadelphia. Through their practice, they hear time and again from clients that they weren’t being listened to, their needs weren’t being met, and they weren’t receiving competent care from providers.

 

In creating PMC, Mac wanted to create a safe, responsive, and affirming space that was committed to reproductive justice, sexual health, and birth options. Using the midwifery model of care, which emphasizes respect, education, time, and bodily autonomy/consent, PMC helps clients to achieve confident, supported labor and birth.

 

PMC currently offers prenatal, birth and postpartum care at home or their collaborating hospital, gynecology/well-person/primary care, Pap testing, STI/infection screening, evaluation and management of pelvic/sexual pain, chest/breast issues, fertility care including intrauterine insemination (IUI) with natural or medicated cycles; health maintenance screenings and referrals, physical exams, and management of minor health concerns.

 

Other offerings provided by the collective include lactation and chiropractic services.

DONATE TODAY AND HELP US EXPAND COMMUNITY MIDWIFERY IN NORTHWEST PHILLY <3

 

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Thank you in advance for your support. Please stay connected by joining our email list on our website: www.PhiladelphiaMidwifeCollective.org. If you have questions or want to get involved with the campaign, email us. If you are interested in making a larger donation and would like to speak with PMC further, please use the contact form on our website to reach out.