Megs Yunn spread plenty of cheer among state lawmakers who visited her North Huntingdon warehouse Wednesday.
The legislators are considering help for Pennsylvania mothers and babies, possibly replicating what Yunn has accomplished through Beverly’s PGH, which has supported thousands of families in the region.
“How can we expand this concept of making sure babies, moms and families have what they need, especially in that first year after birth?” said state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Morningside.
Mayes and other members of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus, along with the House Majority Policy Committee, toured the Beverly’s PGH warehouse Wednesday and helped pack boxes that will be delivered to families with children between 7 and 9 months old. The lawmakers loaded baby spoons, toys, a bib and other items into the boxes, 500 of which get distributed monthly to families across Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus want nine pieces of legislation — what they’re calling the “Momnibus” package — to be passed to increase help in various ways, such as establishing a program to distribute essential resources to new mothers, investing in maternal health care deserts and expanding access to mental health and doula services.
Beverly’s PGH operates several programs to help those families, such as free community baby showers, an infant formula bank, lactation services and birthday gifts. The nonprofit also connects families to resources around the area while working with 170 social service agencies in seven counties.
Not everyone has the opportunity to have a baby shower or a birthday party, a complexity to life some face that state Rep. Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware County, wants her fellow lawmakers to understand.
“We know that for the best success for folks after birth, that they need the supplies,” said Curry, who is a co-chair of the caucus with Mayes and state Rep. Morgan B. Cephas, D-Philadelphia County.
The maternal mortality rate in Pennsylvania between 2015 and 2019 was 10.9 for 100,000 live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide, Black women are twice as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause, the majority of which are preventable, than white women.
A similar disparity exists for babies born to a Black parent — they’re twice as likely to die than those born to a white parent, according to a 2019 report by the City of Pittsburgh’s Gender Equity Commission.
Yunn, founder and executive director of Beverly’s PGH, gave lawmakers a tour of the warehouse and two mobile units. She was thrilled to have their ear and is willing to help expand services around the state.
“It’s such a humbling opportunity to be able to be a voice of the children and families we get the opportunity to celebrate,” she said.
Connecting those families with resources in a positive way can eliminate feelings of shame that might be associated with seeking help, allowing them an opportunity to feel empowered, Yunn said. That can transform receiving help into more of a celebration, she said to murmurs of agreement from lawmakers.
Although the caucus is focusing on the health of Black mothers, any improvements will be felt by all mothers, regardless of race, said state Rep. Dr. Arvind Venkat, D-McCandless. He described the Momnibus package as a set of commonsense bills that could address issues in a positive way while making sure children get what they need in their first year.
“As a physician, I have seen this crisis pretty close at hand and can share stories of patients who, unfortunately, we’ve allowed to fall through the gap,” he said. “The work that’s being done through the Momnibus and through a number of other efforts is really how we move the ball in making a difference for our fellow Pennsylvanians.”