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Nonprofit leaders often tout the services provided to clients. It is a way to demonstrate in a concrete, tangible way our value to the community. Nurture KC is no exception to this practice. As we add and edit services, education and goods each year in response to the needs of our families, I find myself reciting a litany of inputs while neglecting the most important part, impact and outcomes.
With the uncertainty around continued federal support for Healthy Start throughout 2025, there has been a silver lining. We went back to the foundational reason why Healthy Start exists which is to improve health outcomes for babies and their mothers and reduce the disparities that exist along racial lines. In other words, we looked at outcomes and impact, all of which are measurable as required by the program.
Our data team compared Healthy Start results to the outcomes for all moms and babies in the zip codes in our service area. Here’s a snapshot:
Early prenatal care for mothers
100% Healthy Start participants
78% Non-Healthy Start participants
Women attending well-woman preventive care visits
92% Healthy Start participants
71% Non-Healthy Start participants
In one of the most telling statistics, mothers in our program are up to 6% less likely to have a preterm birth compared to other moms residing in our service zip codes but not in Healthy Start.
Powerful as this information is in the aggregate, it is even more resonant when considering the personal experience of our families. Healthy Start mom, Meka Brown told me that Healthy Start “saved her life”, providing a safe harbor for her and her children during a time of upheaval. Our proven impact that ultimately benefits moms like Meka is why I ask you to consider donating to Nurture KC this December 2, GivingTuesday. We need your help to continue delivering for Kansas City families as support from organizations like Nurture KC has never been more important than today.
Gratefully,
Tracy Russell
Chief Executive Officer, Nurture KC
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