At the Homer G. Phillips clinic location at 2425 Whittier Street, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, Xi Zeta Chapter, and the Zeta Charitable Foundation of Saint Louis, Incorporated, opened the Storks Nest on February 19 at the Myrtle Hilliard Comprehensive Health Center.
For more than 40 years, The Zetas’ Storks Nest has been a national cooperative project of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and the March of Dimes Foundation. It aims increase the number of women receiving early and regular prenatal care in an effort to prevent low birth-weight, premature births and infant deaths.
Chapter President Barbara Evans-Cunningham said incentives and March of Dimes approved education promotes participation in prenatal care and encourages healthy behaviors during pregnancy, reducing stress and giving up harmful behaviors, such as smoking and drinking.
“When they come to us, we encourage them to maintain their appointments, give them literature and we also provide education curriculum approved by the March of Dimes about the importance of good prenatal care and encourage the mothers to stop smoking if they are smoking and of course, keep their appointments,” Evans-Cunningham said.
Nursing Director Clarence Byndom said when Cunningham presented the opportunity to address and educate women on prenatal care, he immediately presented the information to the clinic’s senior leadership to initiate a partnership.
“I understood the need for women to receive early and regular prenatal care, especially in the Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive service areas. Currently, our service areas are targeted with various health concerns and disparities that affect many of our prenatal population,” Byndom told The American. “The Stork Nest, in collaboration with Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Center, will able to disseminate health promotion and wellness topics on prenatal care and encourage healthy behaviors during pregnancy.”
The clinic refers expectant mothers to the Stork’s Nest to “earn” points toward incentives. Mothers can accrue up to a maximum of 100 points during their pregnancy up to six weeks after the baby is born. They redeem their points for needed items at the Stork’s Nest.
“They can choose baby items, like bottles, baby diapers, baby care items,” Evans-Cunningham said. “If they keep their appointments, the more points they earn toward baby items.”
Sorority members donate items to use as incentives and they are purchased with proceeds from fundraisers. The Stork’s Nest is operated by trained sorority members. It is open every Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for clients referred by the clinic.
For more information, visit zphib1920.org or machofdimes.org.
