At Mommies In Need, we have always believed that addiction is a health crisis and can be extremely hard on mothers of young children as they can often struggle with balancing care of their kids with time to work on their recovery. In our partnership with The Magdalen House, we have been able to serve some of these moms by providing on-site childcare at specific meetings, and now having Annie’s Place available for drop-In childcare for women going through The Next Step program. We hope that this free resource allows women to focus on their recovery while knowing that their children are in safe and loving hands.
Childcare for Parents in a Health Crisis
Mommies In Need was founded by Natalie Boyle, a cancer survivor who realized the lack of resources available to ill parents after she went through treatment as a young mother. In the first three years of her children’s lives, Natalie underwent six major surgeries, the removal of three organs, and a cancer diagnosis. Yet she considered herself lucky because she had significant family support and the means to afford childcare.
As Natalie’s health improved, she learned that her friend, Annie, had been diagnosed with colon cancer. Annie shared that she planned to have a friend watch her three-year-old and 18-month-old children on days when she was in chemotherapy treatment and that she would care for them herself for the rest of the time. Having been through cancer-related recovery and the extensive accompanying medical appointments herself, Natalie knew that this wouldn’t be possible for Annie. As she worked to raise funds to help her friend, Natalie began to learn of the widespread demand for this type of assistance, particularly among parents with limited financial means. Mommies In Need was officially launched in 2014 with a mission to provide childcare, community, and compassion to parents going through a health crisis.
Programs and Services from Mommies In Need
Our Home Care program provides up to six months of full-time childcare for families dealing with cancer and other major illnesses and injuries, all at no cost to those served. Each of our on-staff nannies works with the same family for up to six months and is specially trained to support children and their ill parent. To date, Mommies In Need has provided over 28,000 total hours of childcare to more than 65 families facing health crises. We have been able to keep families from losing their homes, draining their savings, and struggling to care for their children while fighting for their lives.
On November 2, 2020, Mommies in Need opened an onsite drop-in childcare center at Parkland Health and Hospital System that enables parents to fully focus on their own life-saving treatment while knowing that their children are safe and happy. The center is named Annie’s Place in memory of Natalie’s friend, Annie, (the first mother she helped), who ultimately lost her battle with colon cancer in 2018. Every Monday through Friday, from 8am-6pm. Annie’s Place cares for children 0-6 whose caregivers are receiving treatment at Parkland’s oncology and high-risk obstetrics clinics. Knowing that a parent’s health crisis can be a scary and confusing experience for children, Mommies In Need uses a trauma-informed programming model of care that addresses the complex needs of the children and families we serve, with a play therapist and social worker on staff.
We also have a virtual program available where children can receive one-on-one zoom calls with our nannies so that parents can have an hour free to rest and participate in activities related to recovery. For more details and to apply to our programs, please visit www.mommiesinneed.org.
We are thrilled to be able to offer some of our childcare spots at Annie’s Place to women in programs at The Magdalen House to work on their recovery.
Connect with Mommies In Need
You can find Mommies In Need on our magdalenhouse.org/resources, or:
- Website: www.mommiesinneed.org
- Facebook:/mommiesinneed
- Instagram: @mommiesinneedorg
