The benefits of walking during pregnancy are unending. Access to an outdoor space and fresh air provides a great low impact cardio opportunity that can contribute to better sleep, relief from stress and physical discomfort while delivering an energy boost for expecting parents. For the majority of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) clients, however, walking outdoors in their own neighborhoods is not an option. The reasons for this are directly related to various neighborhood factors, including railroads, poorly draining areas, industry, close proximity to interstate highways and freeways and more. 

Goodwill’s Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), a program that pairs first-time mothers with a registered nurse, celebrated its 10th anniversary in October. Goodwill’s NFP supports the Indiana Department of Health’s campaign to reduce infant death, provide prenatal care and teach parents about smoking cessation, breastfeeding and safe sleep. 

Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana partnered with the Indiana State Department of Health to provide mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics at many of our sites, including all 15 Excel Center®  campuses and Indianapolis Metropolitan High School. Goodwill’s Nurse-Family Partnership® team volunteered to be onsite at each mobile clinic to help administer more vaccines than would normally be possible.

Sarah Verhines graduated from The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, in January 2020 at 26 years old while working full time and expecting her first child. Even though she was top 15 in her original high school class, circumstances beyond her control prevented her from graduating.

Merle Davidson first heard about Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Nurse-Family PartnershipⓇ (NFP) from a friend who was enrolled in the program. At the time, Merle was pregnant with twin girls and was instructed that she’d need to be on bed rest at IU Methodist for the duration of her pregnancy. With Goodwill’s Nurse-Family Partnership providing a free, personal nurse that she could turn to for guidance, support and encouragement, Merle decided to enroll in the program; knowing that Nurse-Family Partnership would be a powerful ally for her and enable her to give her girls the best possible start in life. 

In 2020, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, sponsored two doula certification courses in an effort to combat and reduce the Black morbidity and mortality rates of birthing people in Indiana; beginning with the community in Marion County. 

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Nurse-Family PartnershipⓇ client Mikala Turner always felt inspired by this quote from Confucius—“It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” So inspired in fact, that it serves as her guiding principle throughout her life as she consistently sets and achieves her goals, overcomes tragedy and challenges and eventually discovers a path that allows her to provide support to others facing many of the same challenges she did.