Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Equality Health Foundation and March of Dimes representatives are proud to announce the resounding success of the inaugural Healthy Mama Festival on Saturday, March 9.
Over 1,500 attendees gathered at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in South Phoenix for a free community event dedicated to promoting maternal and infant health, according to a press release.
The Healthy Mama Festival aimed to empower mothers and mothers-to-be with knowledge, resources, and community connections to help navigate their pregnancy and post-partum journey with health and well-being in mind.
Together with 24 exhibitors and nine sponsor partners, the organizations distributed 1,000 diaper bags, healthy meals and coronavirus tests, the release states.
“The Healthy Mama Festival embodies our shared commitment to empowering and supporting mothers and families, particularly those facing barriers to care,” said Tomás León, Equality Health Foundation president. “Equality Health Foundation and March of Dimes remain dedicated to advancing maternal health equity across the state of Arizona.”
As part of Equality Health LLC, Equality Health Foundation is committed to expanding access to care, accelerating health education and eliminating health inequities. This is particularly important among pregnant individuals, as maternal mortality rates more than doubled in the last two decades in the U.S. and quadrupled in Arizona.
According to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the number of deaths per 100,000 live births rose from 7.6 to 32.1 between 1999-2019.
“The U.S. is facing an urgent maternal and infant health crisis and March of Dimes is committed to bringing on-the-ground maternal and infant health programs and services to families where they are,” Kelly Ernst, March of Dimes senior vice president, chief revenue and impact officer, said in a prepared statement. “Together with our partners like Equality Health Foundation, we can end preventable maternal health risks and death, end preventable preterm birth, and close the health equity gap for every family.”
