Maternal Infant Services Network (MiSN) announced the results of its 30th Anniversary event held on Friday, Nov. 15. The evening featured a performance by Tanya Birl-Torres called “A Play in 3 Movements,” a story “told through the eyes of a young black girl who has decided to fight ‘the system’ within her own cells, weaving together her identity as she travels through time and across generations.” The production choice was made deliberately, according to event organizers, in order to provoke dialogue about equity - a topic at the heart of MiSN’s mission of maximizing positive health outcomes in the Hudson Valley region.
The nonprofit, based in Newburgh, serves Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties with a variety of services and programs. Included on staff are bilingual Navigators to help clients access affordable health insurance, as well as Community Health Advocates who offer support managing insurance and finding low-cost prescriptions. MiSN’s Mid-Hudson Lactation Consortium promotes health nutrition for babies, their Community Health Workers provide support before, during, and after a baby is born. The Breastfeeding Peer Counselors provide perinatal and childbirth education along with supporting breastfeeding moms. The Health Educators offer life skills trainings and workshops like ‘Making Proud Choices’ to teenagers, among its many other programs.
“We have more clarity than ever when it comes to social determinants of health and what our communities need to do to address disparities and help secure brighter futures. By empowering all whom we serve with knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to make healthy choices for themselves and their babies, we’ll have a stronger, healthier population overall. MiSN has been at this for 30 years, and we’re just getting started. There is so much work to do to drive social transformation - countless men, women, and children who can benefit from our work providing them access to healthcare, education, personal development opportunities, community resources, and programs. By hosting events and engaging in longer-term fundraising initiatives, I believe we will be positioned to make a tremendous impact on future generations and our society as a whole. It’s exciting and rewarding to consider the possibilities,” said Giovanna Rogow, Executive Director at MiSN.
Rogow added, “We’re very grateful to all who supported this event, whether by joining us that evening, sponsoring, or making a direct donation to our organization. Not only do events like this help us build a solid financial future for our organization, but they offer us a chance to spark much-needed dialogue. Our vision is to create a health and wellness access model that can be used to transform communities in New York State. We’re working hard to create plans for ongoing fundraising activities, and we look forward to engaging anyone in the community who wishes to be involved.”
Rogow noted that MiSN is planning a Women’s Health Conference, set to take place in May. Details will be announced in early 2020.
Learn more about the organization and its programs by visiting misn-ny.org.