GALS, Giving Austin Labor Support Receives Sub-Grant Funding Award From It’s Time Texas and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas for Major Project in Austin, Texas

$50,000 has been awarded to GALS to help their mission, addressing maternal health in the Central Texas community.  

Austin, Texas—Giving Austin Labor Support (GALS) received a generous sub-grant from the  statewide nonprofit It’s Time Texas, whose mission is to empower Texans to lead healthier lives  and build healthier communities. Thanks to their partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® (HKHF) grant, the GALS Prenatal Doula Program Expansion project will kick off this May and be completed by the end of 2021. 

Funding will support the delivery of effective programs and services that improve critical health outcomes and address root causes of health disparities, remove barriers to access, and advance  community conditions for health and wellness that improve resilience in the face of COVID-19. 

GALS is dedicated to providing emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing people and healthcare professionals who are under-supported in order to improve birth outcomes and strengthen families. Dedicated to advancing reproductive justice in Central Texas and beyond, we are improving birth outcomes and ensuring no one births alone. GALS provides low-income and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families with wrap-around perinatal support through the following programs: On-Call Birth Support for those actively in labor through postpartum, a full-spectrum Prenatal Doula Program, a pilot Postpartum Support Program, and Jail Support Program for those pregnant/postpartum at the Travis County Correctional Complex. Since 2009, over 600 families have received support from our programs in Central Texas, in an area spanning as far north as Temple/Killeen and as far south as San Marcos, TX.

The funding from It’s Time Texas and Blue Cross Blue Shield will enhance the work of the Prenatal Doula Program, expanding the comprehensive and wrap-around support through an increase in prenatal and postpartum visits to aid the whole family. This project will provide 40 families with a trained GALS Birthworker and supplies needed to support their family as they transition to life with a new baby. By expanding support for these families, GALS seeks to expand the impact through a multi-tiered, Social Determinants of Health perspective, providing the luxury services and care that all parents deserve and creating true health equity through community engagement, health access, perinatal education, and sustainability of care for birthing people in Central Texas.

“Disparate maternal health outcomes, lack of parental leave and childcare policies, and a culture of individualism have set parents up for hardship.” Morgan Miles, GALS Executive Director said. “The Prenatal Program Expansion provides increased support for our families in the full-spectrum doula program. Together, we will address disparities in health outcomes through individual and systemic action- offering the basic support required to live a healthy life while supporting families as they navigate the healthcare system.”

After a competitive application process, grants were awarded to community-based organizations who are able to rapidly deploy resources and support their communities within  four designated areas of Texas: Austin, Beaumont, Brazos Valley Region, and Rio Grande Valley  Region.  

All organizations who received funding include: 

● Giving Austin Labor Support (GALS) – Austin 

● Urban Roots – Austin 

● Nutrition and Services for Seniors – Beaumont 

● Iconium Missionary Baptist Church – Beaumont 

● SonShine Center – Brazos Valley 

● Burleson Health Resource Center – Brazos Valley 

● Su Clinica – Rio Grande Valley

● Good Neighbor Settlement House – Rio Grande Valley 

Learn more about the Prenatal Program by visiting our website, givingaustinlaborsupport.org, and get to know more about each of the grantees by visiting www.itstimetexas.org and follow the progress of  their projects through our social media channels: @Itstimetx and @GALSupport!

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GALS Austin

GALS is dedicated to providing emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing people and healthcare professionals who are under-supported in order to improve birth outcomes and strengthen families. 

It’s Time Texas
Clara Linhoff, Marketing Content Specialist
Clara@itstimetexas.org
(714) 454 - 5791