Project Ujima

Infant Mortality Reduction(IMR)- Ohio Dept.of Medicaid for Centering Project Ujima will continue to partner Summa Health and Minority Behavorial Health Group to: 1)Provide Centering Pregancy to expectant mothers in our target population; 2) Provide Centering Parenting to new mothers in the target population through their babies first birth- day; 3)Expand Centering Pregancy and Centering Parenting to serve new and expecting mothers in the target population. Parenting Circles include topics such as infant feeding, soothing and comfort, immunizations, development of family adjustment, shaken baby syndrome, childproofing and home safety, maternal stress and depression, and childcare choices and challenges.

Throughout the community, we want to use this opportunity to inform the community about the virus and share proactive ways to protect and reduce exposure for family, friends and loved ones.

Zalika Gathering House for young parents funded by City of Akron Community Development Block Grant;The Zalika Gathering Home is a respite/simulation home for new and postpartum women.The home creates a safe space for the women to meet more often than the bi-weekly Centering circles in a non-clinical,supportive environment. The home is open 32 hours a week and offers a place for exhausted new moms to rest during the day, cook a meal in the kitchen, wash clothes, or read and play with them in the nursery. In addition to respite and peer support,the home also provides circle programming,including employment and career support and partnerships, access to the internet,assistance with resumes and job application,cooking demonstrations in partnership