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Have you ever wondered what new refugee and immigrant mothers go through during one of the most critical phases of their lives? We at Hello Neighbor always want to ensure that our refugee and immigrant families get the support they are looking for - especially in a place that's far away from home. One of the best ways to support this effort is through volunteerism.

Volunteers in Hello Neighbor's Smart Start program support new and expecting mothers through appointment accompaniment, meal delivery, emergency childcare, and so much more. The Smart Start community creates an environment of care and love for both mom and baby. This training will cover cultural sensitivity, information about local programs that support new mothers, carseat training, and so much more.

View this Google document to learn more about Smart Start volunteer roles:

Join us by attending the Smart Start Volunteer Training on Saturday, April 22 from 12:00-3:30pm! Visit below to learn more and register.

Learn more about Hello Neighbor’s Smart Start program below.

Smart Start Program Overview:

Smart Start was created and evolved to serve at the intersection of birth support and refugee resettlement in order to meet the unique perinatal needs of refugees and immigrants in the Pittsburgh area. Moving to a new country comes with challenges.

Since 2017 , we’ve assisted in welcoming 101 beautiful babies into our families–many the first American Citizens in their family!

In the U.S., birth culture can look and be very different from our families’ home cultures and birthing practices. It can be isolating, overwhelming, and/or confusing being pregnant in a foreign land. Compounding the difference are language barriers and separation from one’s culture and family can further contribute to feelings of isolation during pregnancy and postpartum.

Smart Start's primary services provided are:

• Pregnancy and newborn care coordination, postpartum support, pregnancy and/or infant loss support as needed
• Facilitating connections to community resources and support items needs for mom and baby
• Working with the birthing person to create a comprehensive labor plan including planning for a doula, childcare, documentation preparation, and discharge assistance
• Culturally-tailored perinatal education regardless of language capacity