by Jane Sisk
Open Arms Perinatal Services
The recipient of our 2nd Sunday/Share the Plate Offering for Mothers Day, May 12, will be Open Arms Perinatal Services. Working in the Puget Sound region since 1997, Open Arms Perinatal Services is a nonprofit focused on strong community-based support for women through pregnancy, birth, and early childhood. Open Arms is the leading non-profit providing doula services specifically for pregnant and parenting families in Washington State who are facing poverty. A doula is a trained health worker who provides physical, emotional, and informational support to women before, during, and after childbirth.
Open Arms currently supports 17 different languages, and serves over 300 new mothers and over 300 babies each year. The organization carefully pairs clients with doulas who are a cultural and/or language match whenever possible. Open Arms has served over 3,000 clients, and conducted over 22,000 home visits to help improve maternal and infant health, as well as build healthy foundations for early learning.