Mackenzie Scott Gifts $2M To Black-owned Doula Program

by Stacy Jackson

April 1, 2024

Birthing Beautiful Communities is the only community-based doula program in Northeast Ohio committed to Black mothers and families.

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Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC), a pioneering doula program dedicated to uplifting Black mothers, babies, and families in Northeast Ohio, has been chosen as one of the largest beneficiaries of MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call.

The organization announced the transformative grant of $2 million on March 19 and noted it as BBC’s most substantial donation to date. According to BBC, the funding will bolster BBC’s mission of ensuring equitable care to improve the quality of life for Black communities.

“We’re overjoyed and deeply grateful for this transformative gift from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call,” stated BBC’s President & CEO, Jazmin Long. “This generous support propels Birthing Beautiful Communities into an exciting new chapter, empowering us to amplify our impact and further our mission of ensuring every mother, baby, and family receives the care and support they deserve.”

Since its inception in 2014, BBC has been at the forefront of addressing and improving systemic and community structures that contribute to adverse birth outcomes. Through a multifaceted approach encompassing culture, education, advocacy, support, and engagement, the program provides an array of free, annual services to over 700 new and expectant mothers and families.

Long further revealed that BBC is poised to break ground on a new birth center this fall, a significant milestone in their journey to reshape maternal health outcomes in Northeast Ohio and beyond. “With this funding,” she added, “we’re poised to continue transforming maternal health outcomes in Northeast Ohio and beyond, ushering in a future where every birth is a beautiful and healthy experience.”

BBC has evolved beyond pregnancy and postpartum support. The organization’s holistic services offer wealth-building opportunities for women from historically economically depressed neighborhoods. The organization works to address the social determinants of health and the circumstances at-risk mothers face as infant mortality ranks high in communities of color.

The donation to BBC is part of Scott’s recent $640 million donation dispersed among 361 organizations, as previously mentioned by BLACK ENTERPRISE.

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