Kiwanis Club donates to Oak Orchard Health’s ‘Mommy and Me’ and WIC programs

Press Release, Oak Orchard Health

Provided photo: From left include Karen Kinter, interim CEO of Oak Orchard Health; George Sokolsky, president of the Kiwanis Club of Brockport; and Robin Govanlu, OOH director of Behavioral Health.

BROCKPORT – The Kiwanis Club of Brockport donated $1,000 to Oak Orchard Health’s Mommy and Me Healthy We Will Be program and $300 to the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

The Mommy and Me Program supports new moms and babies experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety. The WIC program offers eligible families breastfeeding support, nutrition counseling, health education, health care referrals, referrals to other services, and nutritious foods.

“The Kiwanis Club of Brockport is dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. The local club began in 1926 and has always focused on fundraising and service projects to help children. The Mommy and Me and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs fit perfectly with our mission,” said George Sokolsky, president, Kiwanis Club of Brockport.

The initial idea for Mommy and Me came from our Medical Director and Pediatrician,

Dr. Danielle Renodin-Mead. She brought to our attention that the U.S. has some of the poorest health outcomes for children and their birth mothers. Just one large contributing factor to this is our culture’s approach to postpartum mental health, as well as the stigma that often surrounds this. That stigma is a barrier to mothers seeking the necessary care they need.

“Did you know that 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression or anxiety?” said Karen Kinter, interim CEO, Oak Orchard Health. “The goal of Oak Orchard’s new program is to achieve optimal maternal and child health and to make it easier to have conversations about postpartum depression and anxiety. This program integrates behavioral health care managers into the pediatric care team.”