As you may recall, the beneficiary of our Giving First share-the-plate collection for the month of May was Neighborhood Birth Center, which is preparing to open in Roxbury.
On behalf of the First Parish Congregation, the Social Justice Committee recently received a card and letter from Mystic Valley Action for Reproductive Justice (MVARJ) thanking us for our $2,145 contribution to Neighborhood Birth Center (NBC). The letter was sent by MVARJ leader and Arlington resident June Rowe. The letter said, in part, “This contribution … with help NBC realize the dream of non-hospital individualized pregnancy care and delivery provided by trained midwives and doulas for people who live in and around Boston. This positive and supportive approach to maternal health care will be truly beneficial for black and brown people who are experiencing higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and even death than their white counterparts and will advance racial equity in our state.” There are a few First Parish members who have been active in MVARJ, including Peggy Gardiner, who nominated NBC for Giving First.
There’s more. The Massachusetts House of Representative recently unanimously passed a maternal health bill with provisions that are vital to the sustainability of birth centers. These provisions include licensure of Certified Professional Midwives and reform of existing antiquated birth center regulations. If the Senate passes a similar bill within the next week or so, the chances of the provisions being signed into law by Governor Healey before the end of the legislative session will be very good. During a July 10 lobbying event at the Massachusetts statehouse in support of Senate legislation, NBC Policy Director Katherine Rushfirth made a point of reaching out to First Parish member Alan Linov to express thanks for the contribution from First Parish.