Maternal League of Memphis is a women's charitable organization that has been dedicated to helping Memphis and Shelby County mothers and babies in need since 1935. When Rebecca Harsh founded the League in 1935, she wrote this mission statement, “To the end that all mothers may live and have no physical handicaps resulting from childbirth, and that all children may come into the world with sound minds and bodies.”
Over the years, Maternal League has remained committed to our mission, while developing programs to respond to the challenges presented by mothers and babies in our community. During the 1980's we received national recognition for our work with teen mothers in the “Sunrise Program,” teaching pregnant teens and new mothers proper health care and nutrition for their babies.
Our membership includes 120 active, honorary, contributory, and associate members. The Executive Board members are involved in each function of the league, and almost all active members have specific duties, as well as participating in all community volunteer activities.
Maternal League's community involvement includes our signature Layette Program in which Maternal League donates over 500 layettes to the most needy mothers and babies screened by the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department.
Members, also volunteer in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Members attend neighborhood Health Fairs distributing important information about proper care of babies. Our newest initiative is our “This Side Up” program.We have sponsored the transportation for 300 teens to attend a Teen Parenting Workshop, and we helped supervise the teens at the workshop.
In response to the highest infant mortality rate in the country, Maternal League is helping fight Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Proper positioning for babies while sleeping has been proven to reduce the rate of SIDS. We provide every baby born in Shelby County with a tee shirt stating “This Side Up” on the front.
This will instruct new mothers and all the babies' caregivers the correct way to put a baby down to sleep. Putting babies on their backs to sleep is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatricians.
Maternal League works with LeBonheur Children's Hospital in their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We have partnered with LeBonheur Center for Families for the Teen Parenting Workshop. The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department distributes the layettes we provide.
We are on our own in the “This Side Up” program as we order the shirts, pay for the screen printing, and deliver them to the maternity floors of all the hospitals in the county.
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