5 for Good: Bridges to Moms provides day of beauty, respite ahead of Mother's Day

HAVE BEEN THROUGH STRUGGLE. SO OFTEN IN THE LIFE OF MOMS, LITTLE LUXURIES SUCH MARY POP OF COLOR, A FRESH STYLE TO FRAME THE FACE WELL, THERE’S JUST NO TIME OR EXTRA FUNDS. I HAVEN’T GOTTEN MY HAIR DONE SINCE I GAVE BIRTH TO HIM. I HAVE BEEN A MESS. MOST NEW MOTHERS CAN RELATE TO THAT. ADAM OKLAHOMA HAD HER SON JAVIER, EIGHT MONTHS AGO, BUT ONLY OTHER MOTHERS LIKE THOSE HERE REALLY UNDERSTAND HER JOURNEY. AND THE MOMS HAVE BEEN SPEAKING. SOME OF THEM HAVE TOLD ME, LIKE THEIR OWN STRUGGLES. I EXPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT MY OWN COMING FROM THE SHELTER BECAUSE I WAS IN THE SHELTER FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS. THESE ARE MOTHERS WHO ARE PART OF BRIDGES TO MOMS, A PROGRAM AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL. THESE ARE WOMEN WHO COME TO THE HOSPITAL THROUGH OBSTETRICS. THEY’RE PREGNANT. THEY’RE HOMELESS OR HOUSING INSECURE. THEY’RE FOOD INSECURE. THEY’RE ALL ALONE. DOCTOR ROSANNA MEANS STARTED BRIDGES TO MOMS IN 2016. THE PROGRAM IS DEVOTED TO EMBRACING AT RISK MOMS IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS. WE HELP THEM THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY. THE VERY, VERY CHALLENGING HOUSING AND SHELTER SITUATION. AND THEN WE FOLLOWED THEM UNTIL THEY GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND WE TEACH THEM SKILLS. WE SEND THEM TO ENGLISH CLASSES, WE GIVE THEM GIFT CARDS. WE HELP THEM GET FOOD. SOME 600 MOMS HAVE BEEN SERVED OVER THE YEARS ON THIS DAY, VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT ONLY PROVIDING BEAUTY SERVICES, BUT THEY’RE ALSO WATCHING THE LITTLE ONES. I WANTED TO VOLUNTEER SIMPLY BECAUSE I’M A PART OF THE PROGRAM, AND I’VE HAD SUCH BEAUTIFUL HELP FROM THOSE INVOLVED, AND I KNOW HOW HARD IT CAN BE TO BE A MOM AND NEED TO DO EVERYTHING AND KIND OF FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF. OF THE TEN WOMEN WHO ARE PROVIDING SERVICES TODAY, SIX OF THEM ARE WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. THEY WERE PATIENTS. THEY CAME IN POOR, HUNGRY, PREGNANT, AND THEY WANT TO SEND THAT MESSAGE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WAS WHERE YOU WERE, AND NOW LOOK WHERE I AM NOW. AND YOU CAN DO THIS. IT’S REALLY AMAZING. IT’S REALLY EMPOWERING. YOU CAN SEE CONFIDENCE ON THE FACE OF EACH MOM LOOKING STUNNING FOR ADAMA. NOT ONLY IS SHE EMPOWERED, SHE SAYS SHE’S INSPIRED. AND SO GRATEFUL TO DOCTOR MEANS AND EVERYONE WITH BRIDGES. TO MOMS. I LOVE HER. I LOVE THIS PROGRAM AND I HOPE THAT ONE DAY I CAN AS WELL LIKE CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROGRAM, JOIN AS WELL BECAUSE I WANT TO SHARE MY OWN STORY. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO LET MOMS KNOW IT’S OKAY, THEY LOOK GREAT. DON’T THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL?