Meet the inspiring recipients of the Spring 2025 Round of the VNPC Community Fund. This group of community leaders and organizations inspired us with their dedication to supporting maternal and infant health across Virginia. From culturally sensitive doula training and Spanish-language childbirth education to essential baby supplies and birth support services, these awardees are putting in the work to address the urgent needs of the Commonwealth’s underserved families with compassion, ingenuity, and community-based solutions. The awardees include From the Start Holistic Services LLC, Mother of Civilization Doula Training, Little Hands Virginia, and Eduka Maternal— each committed to uplifting Virginia’s vulnerable populations through empowerment, education, advocacy, and access. Read more to see how how they’re making an impact.
Jas the Doula From the Start Holistic Services LLC is a small doula business our mission is to provide compassionate, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based support to individuals and families during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Founder Jas the Doula seeks to empower families with education, advocate for their needs, and foster holistic wellness through personalized care. Funding will support sliding-scale or fully funded doula services for underserved communities. goal is to ensure equitable access to quality maternal care and support every family’s journey with dignity, respect, and expert guidance. From the Start Holistic Services aims to bridge these gaps, ensuring, that every family, regardless of socioeconomic status, receives the advocacy, education, and emotional care necessary for a safe and empowering birth experience.
Mother of Civilization Certified Doula Training is a state-certified program committed to training Black birth workers (doulas) in the Petersburg, VA community, which is impacted by higher poverty and maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates. This funding will support the training of three local women to provide prenatal, birth, and postpartum support, including breastfeeding advocacy. Doula care is associated with improvements in birth outcomes such as increased breast feeding initiation rates and reduced C-sections, preterm births, and maternal mortality.
Little Hands Virginia is a non-profit dedicated to helping young children in Central Virginia have essentials they need for a strong start in life. Serving a diverse population within Richmond and the surrounding areas, Little Hands Virginia partners with 130+ local organizations to provide diapers, formula, clothing, safety gear, and more to families who belong to racial and ethnic groups that have traditionally been underserved and/or face economic challenges. These funds will support Little Hands Virginia in purchasing and distributing essentials through their individual request program, bulk diaper distribution, and their child safety program.
Eduka Maternal is a sole proprietor providing Spanish-language pregnancy, labor, and postpartum educational services to pregnant women and their spouses and/or support persons. Eduka Maternal’s goal is to help families feel are empowered, informed, and prepared for the labor and postpartum journey. These funds will support Eduka Maternal in covering the costs of educational materials, labor/ postpartum supplies, and class attendance fees for families enrolled in Eduka Maternal’s in-person, Spanish-language Childbirth and Postpartum Classes at St. Francis Medical Center.