Building Strong Partnerships for Community and Care in the First 1,000 Days

Launching Our Next Chapter

We are delighted to share the Burke Foundation’s new strategy, “Building Strong Partnerships for Community and Care in the First 1,000 Days,” through which we will significantly increase our support for initiatives focused on the time from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday.

The new strategy pairs primary prevention in the earliest years with wraparound services for caregivers with young children — delivered by a community-based workforce — to support healthier families, homes, and neighborhoods by focusing on four vital initiatives aimed at revolutionizing the continuum of care for children and families. The initiatives are:

Our vision is to create intergenerational impact in economic mobility, health, and well-being by transforming health systems to deliver better care, prevention, and community connections during the First 1,000 Days for babies, mothers, fathers, and families. This includes growing and diversifying New Jersey’s perinatal workforce by building the pipeline for community doulas, public health nurses, and midwives.

Community Doulas

“We are community-based doulas, from the communities we serve. We have a connection with our clients. We know how they feel. We know their language. We know the struggles they have to live here in a place far away from their families.”

“We are community-based doulas, from the communities we serve. We have a connection with our clients. We know how they feel. We know their language. We know the struggles they have to live here in a place far away from their families.”

– Teresita Carrasquillo

Doula Supervisor, AMAR Community-Based Doula Program
Children’s Home Society of New Jersey

Community Doulas
Family Connects

“I am grateful to have found public health nursing as I am able to help families at the preventive level and connect with them on a very personal level — which makes me feel fulfilled and accomplished in the work I do. The virtual home visiting model has been vital in staying connected with our communities and providing guidance during the disruption of the pandemic.”

“I am grateful to have found public health nursing as I am able to help families at the preventive level and connect with them on a very personal level — which makes me feel fulfilled and accomplished in the work I do. The virtual home visiting model has been vital in staying connected with our communities and providing guidance during the disruption of the pandemic.”

– Grysmeldy Gonzalez

BSN, RN, Senior Home Visiting Nurse
Family Connects

Family Connects
Centering

“You come together as a group and hear the mothers’ voices, their practices, their beliefs. Based on what they share, you’re able to guide them. It’s not just about their health. It’s about their family conditions. Here in the group, you’re taking care of the moms, the babies, and the families as a whole.”

“You come together as a group and hear the mothers’ voices, their practices, their beliefs. Based on what they share, you’re able to guide them. It’s not just about their health. It’s about their family conditions. Here in the group, you’re taking care of the moms, the babies, and the families as a whole.”

– Preeti Bhandari

Programs and Research Coordinator and Centering Coordinator
Henry J. Austin Health Center

Centering
HealthySteps

“Once trust is developed, we are able to identify complex challenges and barriers to care. These can include homelessness, a history of trauma, or mental health concerns. Thankfully, we can support families in addressing these challenges right here in their pediatrician's office and benefit the family as a whole.”

“Once trust is developed, we are able to identify complex challenges and barriers to care. These can include homelessness, a history of trauma, or mental health concerns. Thankfully, we can support families in addressing these challenges right here in their pediatrician's office and benefit the family as a whole.”

– Ediza Lahoz Valentino

MSW, LSW, HealthySteps Specialist
Jane H. Booker Family Health Center

HealthySteps
Dr. Renée Boynton-Jarrett

“You may look at certain communities and see them through more of a deficit lens. We take the opposite orientation. We look for the assets and resources within a community — and one of the biggest assets and greatest resources in every community in America is the people and the abundance of their willingness to give and help their neighbors.”

“You may look at certain communities and see them through more of a deficit lens. We take the opposite orientation. We look for the assets and resources within a community — and one of the biggest assets and greatest resources in every community in America is the people and the abundance of their willingness to give and help their neighbors.”

– Dr. Renée Boynton-Jarret, MD, ScD

Primary Care Pediatrician, Boston Medical Center
Founding Director, Vital Village Community Engagement Network

Jacque Caglia

“We believe community-led solutions are the most equitable path to strengthen health systems. Local leadership, coordinated action, and women-centered approaches hold the promise to reduce maternal health disparities and improve health outcomes.”

“We believe community-led solutions are the most equitable path to strengthen health systems. Local leadership, coordinated action, and women-centered approaches hold the promise to reduce maternal health disparities and improve health outcomes.”

– Jacque Caglia

Director of Learning, Communications, and US Programs, Merck for Mothers

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The Burke Foundation welcomes your feedback on our new strategy.

You may provide your feedback anonymously, but we encourage you to provide your email address so we can start a conversation!