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Resource List

Community Support

WIC/Nutrition

WIC Shopping Guide | Check out the WIC shopping guide with resources, registration information, item guidelines

APPS

NOTE: While smartphone apps can be a great way to track your pregnancy, plan your birth, research resources and more, please note that children (both in- and outside the womb!) develop at different times and what may be presented in an app as “regular” or “normal” may not be so for your child(ren).

  • Birth Plan Plus | iOS | A custom birth plan template to help expecting parents articulate birth preferences to their care team.

  • MamaMend | iOS + Android | Offers an evidence-based, week-by-week guide to childbirth recovery and postpartum health.

  • The Wonder Weeks | iOS + Android | Offers a platform to help track and understand baby’s development on a week-by-week basis.

COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY PROGRAMS

These organizations/programs provide a number of services that may benefit pregnant and postpartum families.

  • Cradle of Hope | Provides support with rent/mortgage and bills, child care, transportation, portable cribs and educational, employment and parenting resources.

  • Jeremiah Program | The Jeremiah Program provides parenting education, early childhood education, life skills tools, housing and community support for single mothers.

  • The Family Development Center | Specializes in helping parents cope with pregnancy and postpartum-related issues.

  • The Family Partnership | Offers therapeutic learning centers for children 6 weeks of age until Kindergarten; counseling for a diverse range of families; and services from social workers.

  • Tandem (formerly Tapestry Family Resource Center) | Provides stabilization, housing, healthcare, childcare, and education services as well as a resource center.

  • Urban Ventures | A Minneapolis-based nonprofit that runs programs geared towards developing healthier families. Programs are offered in both English and Spanish (Español).

  • Circle of Security | provides a program for parents to build safe and confident parent-child relationships. This is a 12 week program.

COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

We acknowledge and respect the fact that families tackle difficult topics in different ways and at different times. These resources are intended to offer some support to parents interested in approaching certain courageous conversations with their children.

  • Brightly | Provides advice and a curated reading list to guide parents as they talk to their children about race.

  • EmbraceRace | Provides a children’s book list aimed at helping parents help their children understand and embrace race-related differences.

  • Happily Ever Elephants | Provides a list of LGBT children’s books for families, honoring the many beautiful forms of love and identity.

  • SELF | Seeing and Exploring Life’s Future (SELF) is a program through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota that helps children develop the knowledge, tools, and good decision-making skills needed to promote healthy sexuality for all ages and stages.

COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS)

CRISIS SUPPORT

General crsis support:

  • Minnesota Crisis Nursery | The Minnesota Crisis Nursery provides crisis counseling, connection to community resources, home visits and mental health services, and temporary childcare options for families facing crisis.

  • Tandem | Tandem provides comprehensive services and support for mothers who are facing crisis situations alone.

  • Tubman | Tubman offers crisis and support services in the Twin Cities area.

child loss/ Loss:

  • Faith’s Lodge | Faith’s Lodge provides support to parents and families coping with the death or a medically complex condition of a child.

  • Star Legacy Foundation | Star Legacy Foundation provides support and information to parents and families who have experienced stillbirth. Star Legacy Foundation also supports research and awareness of stillbirth.

  • Survivor Resources | Survivor Resources is a Minneapolis and St. Paul based non-profit organization that provides immediate and long-term support to those affected by suicide, homicide, overdose, or accidental death.

Housing:

  • Emma Norton | Housing support for women and families who have experienced homelessness.

  • Homeline | HOME line is a free and/or low-cost legal, organizing, education, and advocacy service for renters in Minnesota. Hotline is available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong.

  • People Serving People | People Serving People is a comprehensive crisis shelter for children and their families who are experiencing homelessness and/or other crisis situations in the Twin Cities area.

Substance Use:

  • Healing House | Faith based recovery program for women with children, women in the process of reuniting with their children, pregnant women, and women without children.

  • Mother’s First | Ramsey county based program that provides support to mothers who are or have struggled with substance use. Provide families with prenatal, nursing, chemical health and case management services.

  • Project Child | Hennepin county based program to help mothers who are using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy prior to 34+ weeks pregnant. Hennepin County based.

  • Recovering Hope | Treatment center for women focused on overcoming substance use and maintaining relationship with child through recovery . Provides treatment, mental health services, and day care services for women and their children.

  • Wayside Recovery | Women’s centered treatment center that provides support through gender-specific and trauma- informed substance use disorder and mental health services for women and their families

  • Live Another Day | Live Another Day's mission is "equal access to live-saving resources". The site offers guides for People of Color and an editorially curated list of the top-rated rehab centers in Minneapolis

  • Top 5 Free Rehab Centers | Provides information on free and low cost facilities throughout the city that offer evidence-based care to low-income individuals and their loved ones

  • Minnesota Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Project | Provides innovative educational activities and training to healthcare professionals working in perinatal healthcare to increase their knowledge of evidence-based recommendations and reduce the impact of perinatal opioid and other substance use disorders on the maternal-infant dyad

  • Women’s Treatment Centers for Substance Use | A list of 10 resources throughout the state of MN

HEALTHCARE

  • Hmong American Partnership | HAP is the largest nonprofit Hmong organization, serving the Hmong, Southeast Asian immigrant and refugees. This link will direct you to HAP’s health insurance enrollment page to help you find the right insurance plan by making it easy to understand.

  • MN Department of Human Services (DHS) | This link will guide you to a webpage with instructions on how to apply for Medicaid (MA) and MinnesotaCare (eligible for Minnesota residents ONLY). All pregnant people are eligible regardless of if they already have insurance coverage through another source. You can receive assistance with your application from your current healthcare clinic or by calling the county where you live.

LACTATION SUPPORT

NOTE: We hope that you will find the resources below to be helpful, and we also recommend that you discuss lactation care options with your healthcare provider to find out what other resources are available to you.

  • Chocolate Milk Club | The Chocolate Milk Club is a breastfeeding support group for African American mothers in the Twin Cities area.

  • Enlightened Mama | Enlightened Mama is a Minneapolis organization which provides perinatal services including lactation services by IBCLCs (Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants).

  • La Leche League | La Leche League provides information and support groups for lactating mothers/parents.

  • Office on Women’s Health Blog | This blog is put out by the Department of Health and Human Services and offers information on a range of women’s health topics including pregnancy and breastfeeding.

  • Pacify | iOS + Android | Pacify is an app which provides 24/7 virtual lactation support. Pacify may be free for some families depending on your current health plan, make sure to check with your insurance provider to determine if you qualify for free services from Pacify.

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Hatch Life LLC | Dr. Maima Fant offers perinatal, individual, and family therapy services.

  • Therapy for Black Girls | Comprehensive mental health website focused on connecting Black women with mental health information (including their namesake podcast) and providers that also offers membership to an online support community.

  • Wilder Foundation | A Minnesota non-profit organization that offers mental health and wellness services to children, adults, and families. The multicultural staff can assist clients who speak English, Hmong, Vietnamese, Oromo, Somali, Karen, and Khmer.

  • The Family Development Center | A mental health outpatient clinic that offers mental health services to individuals, couples, and families. The family development center specializes in helping families cope with pregnancy, birth, and postpartum trauma.

  • 40-Day Project | A project designed to support emotional wellness for Somali birthing parents during the 40 days postpartum. This project provides online resources directly to parents that support mental wellbeing and self-care.

NEWBORN & BABY CARE

  • Car seat Safety Guide | Car seat safety resource featuring information on types of car seat, installation, recommendations, and safety tips

  • Children’s Minnesota | Offers a variety of resource for newborn care such as medical care, health conditions, growth development and more for expectant parents.

  • Do Good Diapers - Do Good Diapers offers a variety of cloth diaper services for parents in the Minneapolis area.

  • Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvery Karp | This parenting book offers information on understanding your baby and their basic needs.

  • Help Me Grow | Child development education, information, and resources for MN families. ENGLISH | ESPAÑOL | SOMALI | HMOOB

  • KellyMom | KellyMom provides online breastfeeding and parenting advice that is rooted in sound evidence.

PARENTING RESOURCES

  • Attachment Parenting International | Online parenting information based on the principle that attention to the emotional well being of children and parents is a critically important aspect of parenting.

READINGS ON MATERNAL HEALTH

Maternal health is a broad and deeply nuanced topic and this list is by no means comprehensive of the pressing maternal health topics our society faces. We suggest these readings as a place to start or continue your inquiry into the current state of maternal health. These readings are mostly geared toward maternal health advocates.

St Cloud Specific Resources