Community Service...
Community service and outreach is a key part of Mocha Moms, Inc. Each local chapter of Mocha Moms, Inc. is required to perform two community service projects each year, one of which must focus on the National Community Service Initiative. This is easily accomplished because most members are eager to use their energy doing something positive for their communities.
In 2009, our community service initiative was entitled, "Closing the Gap in Minority Health, Prosperity and Achievement." This initiative, which originally focused on education, has been, for the past two years, a much more significant and far reaching initiative. The initiative hits close to home for all of us for with it we can have an impact within our own homes, in our communities and throughout the nation. With nearly 100 chapters throughout the country, our initiative has made a significant impact on the lives of thousands of children throughout the entire country. Last year alone, our chapters set up 50 reading nooks in barbershops and beauty shops through our partnership with Boys Booked on Barbershops. Our work was even featured last November in a “Making a Difference” segment on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
The following is our list of partner organizations under our Closing the Gap Initiative:
In 2009, our community service initiative was entitled, "Closing the Gap in Minority Health, Prosperity and Achievement." This initiative, which originally focused on education, has been, for the past two years, a much more significant and far reaching initiative. The initiative hits close to home for all of us for with it we can have an impact within our own homes, in our communities and throughout the nation. With nearly 100 chapters throughout the country, our initiative has made a significant impact on the lives of thousands of children throughout the entire country. Last year alone, our chapters set up 50 reading nooks in barbershops and beauty shops through our partnership with Boys Booked on Barbershops. Our work was even featured last November in a “Making a Difference” segment on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
The following is our list of partner organizations under our Closing the Gap Initiative:
- Boys Booked on Barbershops. Chapters select a barbershop or beauty shop in their area and set up a reading nook with age appropriate books, mostly written by and about African Americans. The goal is to facilitate the ongoing practice of reading as boys (and girls) make their regular visits to barbershops (and beauty shops), places where many of us spend a lot of time.
- National Marrow Donor Program (National Cord Blood Donor Program). In the past, Mocha Moms, Inc. chapters were identified and contacted in the cities where the NMDP has a cord blood bank. We are hoping to continue this very worthwhile partnership utilizing the following opportunities:
- Local cord blood bank participation during local chapter meetings as guest speakers on cord blood donation education
- Collaborating with local chapter members to determine methods to assist in increasing cord blood donation
- Cord Blood Center conducting focus groups with Mocha Moms, Inc. chapter members to discuss topics related to cord blood donation (e.g. pre-natal clinic education)
- Launching community service campaigns related to cord blood donation
- Inclusion of articles for Mocha Moms, Inc. e-newsletters on public cord blood donation.
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- Black Women’s Health Imperative. Founded in 1983, this organization’s mission is to empower African American women so that we can become educated health care consumers and be strong voices for the improvement of our health status. Their website, www.blackwomenshealth.com, offers a wealth of information that African American women need to maintain the health and well-being of themselves and their families.
Over the past two years, our participation in Boys Booked on Barbershops/Girls Booked on Beauty Shops has been tremendously successful. Boys Booked on Barbershops is a cutting edge, national literacy program designed to make the most of naturally occurring opportunities for children to read in the context of their cultures and communities in familiar neighborhood sites such as barbershops. Through the organization, reading nooks have already been set up in many barbershops and beauty shops throughout the country. Kids read, parents read to kids, kids read to parents, barbers read to kids...everyone benefits.
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| Boys booked on Barbershop |
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| Boys booked on Barbershops |
Additionally the following organizations have partnered with us in allowing our members special access to their information and resources:
- America’s Promise – www.americaspromise.org
- Zero to Three – www.zerotothree.org
- Learning for Life – www.learningforlife.org
- National Cares Mentoring Movement – www.caresmentoring.com
- National Institute for Literacy – www.nifl.gov
- Scholastic – www.scholastic.com
All Mocha Moms, Inc. chapters are required to sponsor or participate in an event that will help Close the Gap in Minority Health, Prosperity and Achievement. Examples include:
- Formation of a parent/child or mother/daughter or son book club
- Hosting literacy nights for parents
- Establishing a “Boys Booked on Barbershops” reading nook in their community.
- Tutoring/mentoring students at a local school or through a specific program
- Participating in community service at a local library
- Creating their own signature Closing the Gap community service program
- Sponsoring and/or Attending Health and Wellness symposiums
- Sponsoring a financial planning workshop
