Brian Maddy, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin; Meagan Johnson, Milwaukee Diaper Mission; Nicole Lorino, Ascension; Wanda Montgomery, Black Child Development Institute; Amanda Sobczak, Betty Brinn; Dea Wright, Office of Early Childhood Initiatives; Julie Haase, Medical College of Wisconsin. Photo by Jan Nowak, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wis. — The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, in conjunction with Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, together with the Milwaukee Office of Early Childhood Initiatives and Ascension SE Wisconsin – St. Joseph Campus today announced a new initiative designed to help newborns get a head start in life. The Welcome to Milwaukee Project will provide parents with a variety of resources to support their newborns during the early childhood development years.
According to the State of Babies Yearbook, Wisconsin ranks below national averages for children in low-income families receiving preventative medical and dental care. By the time children turn three, they have already begun laying the foundation for life-long learning and potential success. These early learning moments can be the difference between a fragile beginning and a strong start at school.
The Welcome to Milwaukee Project equips parents of babies born at Ascension St. Joseph Campus, with information about doctor visits and activities that foster brain development. In addition, parents included in the project receive a diaper bag filled with necessities, including diapers, a board book and a onesie.
More than 1,000 babies born at the St. Joseph Campus are expected to receive the bags in 2022. The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation donated more than $20,000 to support the initiative.
“We are proud to partner in this effort because it not only addresses the immediate needs of a child, but prepares them for future success,” said Brian Maddy, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin. “Molina is committed to connecting families and their newborns to essential wellness care, a foundation critical for a healthy life.”
“The Welcome to Milwaukee Project is grateful to have the support of community partners such as Molina,” said Dea Wright, director of the Office of Early Childhood Initiatives. “Brain development begins at birth and the first three years of an infant’s life are critical in the learning journey. Supporting parents in their role as their child’s first teacher is the goal of the Welcome to Milwaukee Project. The initiative is stronger because of our community partners and Molina’s financial support.”
“Ascension St. Joseph is committed to being the best choice for mothers and their growing families by providing convenient, quality care with an outstanding experience during this important time in their lives,” said Peter Stamas, MD, administrator, Ascension St. Joseph. “Our team of caregivers is focused on providing compassionate, personalized care that begins with expectant mothers and the birth of their children and continues throughout life’s journey.”
Other organizations supporting the Welcome to Milwaukee Project include Milwaukee Diaper Mission, City of Milwaukee Health Department, Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Black Child Development Institute – Milwaukee, City of Milwaukee Public Library, and Walnut Way.
Brain Maddy, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, and Dea Wright, Office of Early Childhood Initiatives. Photo by Jan Nowak, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin
About the Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation
The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc. The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation was created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities.
About Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin
Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin has been providing government-funded health care since 2010. The Company serves members through Marketplace, Medicaid and Medicare programs across the eastern half of the state. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE (currently ranked 155), provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Molina Healthcare served approximately 5.1 million members as of March 31, 2022, located across 19 states. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
About Ascension Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, Ascension operates 17 hospital campuses, more than 100 related healthcare facilities and employs more than 1,100 primary and specialty care clinicians from Racine to Appleton. Serving Wisconsin since 1848, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the largest non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S., operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 139 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.