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Region #7: St. Louis, MO

Since 1991, Nurses for Newborns Foundation (NFNF) has served as a safety net for families at risk to help prevent child abuse, infant mortality and neglect. Through home-based programs, they provide education, positive parenting skills and healthcare. This organization also offers social or government services as needed and additional medical coverage. Since the program started, more than 30,000 infants have been given an opportunity for a better life.

Winning Regional Essay

"Disturbed by the number of newborn infants who were coming into the emergency room with life-threatening illnesses or dying, nurse Sharon Rohrbach felt called by her faith to make a difference. She left her job and used her own resources to co-found Nurses for Newborns Foundation in 1991."

"The mission of Nurses for Newborns Foundation is to provide a safety net for families most at risk; to help prevent infant mortality, child abuse, and neglect through home based nursing programs that provide education, healthcare and positive parenting skills. Since its founding, NFNF has developed a variety of in-home nursing programs to serve teen moms, parents with mental or physical challenges, families with babies who have significant medical needs, and families that live in poverty and lack access to services. Services have been expanded to Tennessee, and have received national attention from other organizations and federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of all the favorable outcomes evidenced by families served by NFNF, the most important result is the fact that 99 percent of the high-risk infants served have had no evidence of child abuse or neglect."

"In the 15 years that the organization has been in existence, NFNF has successfully served over 30,000 infants. One story that illustrates the agency's positive influence is that of Debra. Debra, mother of 9 month-old Wayne, was in a stressful situation when Dawn, a nurse provided by Nurses for Newborns, first came to visit. During her first few visits, Dawn checked out the baby, emphasizing developmental milestones, immunizations, aiding Debra with breastfeeding, and teaching her what to expect as time progressed. By her fifth visit, Dawn had gained enough of Debra's trust that she was able to truly confide in her. At a time that should have been filled with excitement with the ever-changing development of her son, she was held prisoner in an abusive situation with her boyfriend, Anthony, with whom she was living. Anthony was a drug dealer and addict, and this led to several bouts of physical and emotional violence with Debra. Despite all of this hardship, both Debra and Wayne persevered. Debra now has a full-time job with benefits and is taking CNA classes on the side, and Wayne is a healthy, active toddler."

"Nurses for Newborns programs save lives, prevent unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations and also reduce repeat teen pregnancy. The nurses also provide diapers, formula, baby items and often cribs and car seats to the low income families it serves. The Nurses are truly saving babies and strengthening families!"

If They Won the $100,000 National Award ...

"Nurses for Newborns Foundation has been receiving so many referrals to visit indigent high risk babies that we have had to close out services prematurely to many of our clients in order to provide services for the new babies coming in every day. The problems with closing out services before the baby is two years old are multiple."

"Our research and national research continually show that services continued over the babies first two years of life are most effective in preventing child abuse and neglect. $100,000 would allow us to provide 50 families with healthcare, diapers, formula, baby beds and 24-hour access to their nurse for two full years. The families we serve are very high risk and desperately need the services we provide."

"Many are special needs babies, including drug exposed babies and those who have been discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit. These high risk babies are being discharged with mothers who are mostly single and living in poverty. Many of our mothers are teens and many have psychiatric disorders or mental retardation compounding the risk for their special needs babies. $100,000 would go a long long way towards providing a safe and healthy environment, strengthening these families and saving babies lives! Our children are our future. What could be more important than investing in their health and safety?"

Mission Statement

Nurses for Newborns Foundation exists to provide a safety net for families most at-risk, helping to prevent infant mortality and child abuse and neglect. This is accomplished through in-home nursing visits providing healthcare, education and positive parenting skills. We currently serve over 20 counties in Missouri.