Penfield Children’s Center is proud to share the impactful work being done to support Black mothers in Milwaukee through our Growing Together program.

This October, Lorianne Woolverton, Healthcare Equity Specialist at Penfield, presented at the Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care Conference in Oshkosh. Her poster, “Using Social Connections as a Non-Traditional Approach to Address Health Disparities in Black Birthing Individuals and Infants,” highlights the success of Penfield’s Growing Together Prenatal Support Program—a two-year initiative that has served five cohorts of expectant mothers in Milwaukee.

As Growing Together nears its second anniversary, we are proud to have supported 38 pregnant women, surpassing our contracted goal of 36, and to have welcomed 27 healthy babies into the world. Due to high demand, we launched our fifth cohort this September. Since its launch, Growing Together has completed four prenatal and postpartum cohorts, serving mothers from 12 different zip codes across Milwaukee County.

Through Growing Together, pregnant women participate in group pregnancy care that combines education, peer connection, and community resources—all offered right at Penfield Children’s Center. Each group brings together women with similar due dates for shared learning, encouragement, and mutual support throughout their pregnancy journey.

“We were so fortunate to be awarded the grant from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to lay the groundwork for our Growing Together program. We were able to create a program that focuses on social support as a facilitator to improve health outcomes. Growing Together is showing reductions in low birth weights and preterm births for our black mothers and babies, compared to city and state rates. I’m excited for all the possibilities of growth we are looking towards and what that can mean for the health and wellbeing of so many local families.” Lorianne Woolverton, Healthcare Equity Specialist at Penfield.

Penfield is seeing positive outcomes among mothers who have participated in the program, including more full-term births and babies born at healthy birth weights. These results demonstrate the power of community-centered, culturally responsive care in improving maternal and infant health outcomes.

This vital work is made possible through our partnership with Froedtert Hospital and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. With their support, Penfield is helping expand access to prenatal care, reduce disparities, and ensure families receive the care and guidance they deserve.

We’re proud to see this important work recognized and shared statewide as we continue advancing health equity and supporting families across our community.

A heartfelt thank you to Lori for her dedication and for representing Penfield’s mission to help every child—and every family—reach their full potential.