Tracy Russell Executive Director Mother and Child Health Coalition
Make Your Voice Count – VOTE

As we head into the most contentious election of my lifetime, it seems as though there is universal agreement on one issue – it is time to end the political season and get on with it! As we weigh the options of absentee voting, advance voting or going to the polls on election day, it can be easy to skip the task all together.

Despite the uncertainty of the moment, it is important to remember that 2020 is the centennial of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. This is a milestone that should be commemorated and celebrated. It took 100 years of struggle to gain that right, as both internal and external strife marked the suffrage movement. Opposition to the effort often included the argument that women would simply vote as their husbands did, making women’s suffrage unnecessary and redundant. As pundits in 2020 point to women voters as the pivotal arbiter in this election, it refutes those early arguments and reinforces the independence of women and the issues most important to them.

While you have no doubt been inundated with public service announcements touting the importance of voting, let me reinforce this tangible matter …
 
How your vote will have a real-life impact on our families:
  • COVID relief legislation is a governmental endeavor that can determine aid for the unemployed and whether a family can be evicted from their home during this time.
  • An attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be heard by the Supreme Court in November. The law has provided health insurance coverage to 20 million Americans and protected coverage for millions more with pre-existing conditions. Before the ACA, pregnancy counted as a pre-existing condition, meaning a woman could not get coverage in the individual market if she was uninsured and already pregnant. The ACA allows states to expand Medicaid eligibility to help those who need it most. Missourians have acted on that expanded benefit and we hope that Kansas will join soon. Recognition of the necessity of addressing maternal mortality is part of a legislative effort to shine a light on this problem that disproportionately affects Black mothers.

These are just a few of the policies that impact the families we serve. Please join me in taking a 1920 approach to voting this year, celebrating the right and assuming the responsibility.  

Tracy Russell,
Executive Director, Nurture KC
Register for Legislative Quarterly Meeting

Please join us and make your voice heard at Nurture KC’s Legislative Quarterly Meeting on November 20, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This year’s meeting will be virtual but interactive, ensuring member input in setting our legislative priorities for the 2021 legislative sessions. You will receive the latest information on state and national political races, see how we did on last year’s priorities and weigh in on such issues as Medicaid implementation in Missouri and expansion in Kansas. Don’t miss this opportunity to set an agenda to improve maternal and infant health in Kansas City.


Or use this QR code to register:
This information can also be found on our web site at:
https://nurturekc.org/news-events/legislative-quarterly-nov-20-2020/
We welcome Shelby Ostrom to our staff

Meet our new Strategic Initiatives Director at Nurture KC, who is also overseeing MAIC – Shelby Ostrom.
Her background is in fundraising and public policy, and she has served in various capacities for nonprofit organizations across Kansas City.

"Vaccines are important to me. When my brother was 7 years old, he was diagnosed with Autism. This was 2005 - in the beginning of the anti-vaccine movement - and the spread of misinformation was rampant. From that moment on, my family became advocates for the importance of vaccines, and we’ve never looked back," Shelby says. "I am looking forward to bringing this passion to MAIC and working with other advocates to improve access to immunizations across our community."
Did you see our Safe Sleep campaign?

October was Safe Sleep Awareness Month. We conducted a campaign to educate the public on the matter with posts every Thursday during October on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. Check it out.

Our campaign also educated parents in our Healthy Start program and culminated with a Safe Sleep Contest for our families. Congratulations to our adorable winners:
  • Baby Aidan - 2 weeks old
  • Baby Sharon - 3 months old
  • Baby Angela - 6 months old
All pictured at right.

Families sent photos of their babies following the ABC's (Alone, Back, Crib) of Safe Sleep to their community health workers. We had excellent participation and – at random – selected 3 winners to receive $30 Walmart gift cards, provided by our partner Truman Medical Centers.
Fall flu clinics helped immunize the KC community

Yesterday, October 29, was the final of 10 flu clinics coordinated by Nurture KC and the Mid America Immunization Coalition (MAIC) to serve local families with free vaccines. Due to COVID-19, almost all of the clinics were drive-through service and immunizations were offered on a first come, first served basis. Thank you to Walgreen's for providing the vaccines and to Truman Medical Centers for being a partner for most of our Missouri sites.
THANK YOU

To our new member: Vanessa Meriwether
 
To: Children's Mercy Hospital (Sustainer Level)
JOIN US and help support families
Join or renew your membership today.
Thank you for your support!
DONATE
Donations in any amount will help us continue our work of improving the lives of KC mentro area families. For detailed information about our programs, CLICK HERE.
NURTURE KC
1111 W. 39th St., Ste 100
Kansas City MO 64111