Mums4Mums recently won the Heart of the Community Award at the Western Bay Community Awards. In order for new mothers and babies to thrive, Mums4Mums put volunteers into their homes to provide emotional, social and practical nurturing support.

“We were deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award, which serves as a testament to the dedicated efforts of our entire team, including our invaluable volunteers. Our hope is that this recognition will raise awareness about the critical issue of maternal mental health and highlight the importance of collaborative community efforts in addressing this challenge,” says Mums4Mums founder, CJ Dafoe.

Mums4Mums started as a grassroots community initiative to support a request from a social worker at the Tauranga Hospital for support for a migrant mum home alone with twin boys. What started with helping one mum went from supporting 44 families in the first year to supporting over 160 babies by their third year. Understanding the presence of a maternal mental health crisis within our community and the lack of support being offered in the home regardless of the mother's residency status was the key reason Mums4Mums was started.

Mums4Mums provides a safe and supportive framework which allows their volunteers to be matched to mums/parents and babies for support and friendship. It’s an incredible maternal mental health initiative that started In Tauranga and is now growing to other communities across New Zealand.

CJ says there has been a 51% increase in requests to support families over the previous year. Support from Mums4Mums can make a substantial difference in the well-being of new parents and their babies.

Mums4Mums client, LL, said, “I like how the volunteers and admin communicate with me. They are very helpful, friendly and professional. I am a new mum and with their presence, I can share my feelings, and they help me physically. Thank you so much. As a first time mum with no family or friends around, they make me feel that I’m not alone.”

When asked, what the best thing about your work is, CJ said, “Recognising the transformative impact of our work, we are deeply gratified by the profound value it brings to those we serve. Each small step we take contributes to significant positive changes in the lives of the families we support. Witnessing their heartfelt testimonies and expressions of gratitude fuels our dedication and strengthens our resolve to continue our mission with unwavering commitment and passion.”

Mums4Mums has a Community Group Fund with the Acorn Foundation. You can help to grow this fund to ensure that they receive a continuous income stream in the future.