Hi Friend,

Abby* is a mom in Brightpoint’s Doula program. She was adopted and raised by her grandmother and wanted desperately not to repeat this cycle with her own children. With a history of substance abuse and domestic violence in a prior relationship, Abby knew that in order to be the parent she could be she needed to learn about her role as a survivor and seek out healthy relationships.

With two of her children already in foster care, she sought help from the Brightpoint Doula program during her third pregnancy. Doulas are specially trained home visitors who provide parents with positive, persistent outreach services and in-home coaching to help them learn about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care.

Abby said to her Doula, “I want more for my boys and don’t want to be the person my mom was to me.”

Abby is now in a healthy relationship with her boyfriend, Jeff*, who is the father of her baby. The two of them spent a lot of time with her Doula throughout her pregnancy, and they built a trusting relationship. The Doula was present, providing support and encouragement when Abby gave birth to her son, Jake*.

The next day, Abby reached out to her Doula; Abby shared that she had been contacted by the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) about Jake’s welfare. Not wanting Jake to follow the same path as his siblings, Abby got support from her Doula on how to navigate the DCFS system. The Doula supported the family every step of the way to help prevent Jake from going into foster care.

Abby continued working with the Doula program six weeks after giving birth to Jake where she received ongoing support as she worked towards becoming the best mom that she can be. Abby visits Jake under Jeff’s supervision, and she is taking parenting classes and engaging in substance abuse counseling.

With help from Brightpoint, Abby had the support and guidance she needed to navigate the complicated foster care system and legal system. Abby remains in a healthy relationship with Jeff as they work together towards being a family.

Abby’s story demonstrates how the incredible love that she has for her children motivates her to take steps needed to create a better life for herself and her children. Abby and Jeff are giving Jake the best life they can, and he adores his parents – anyone can see Jake’s eyes light up when he looks at both of them.

We know parents have a unique and irreplaceable role in developing young lives, which is why we believe it’s important to keep families together whenever possible.

With generous support from donors, Brightpoint offers parent support programs because we know that by educating and supporting parents, the incidence of child maltreatment is greatly reduced. Our state-wide Doula program is one example of how we provide parent support.

Thank you so much for partnering with us!

All the best,

Kimberly Schulte
Manager of Corporate & Foundation Grants

*Names changed for privacy