The BLACK Collaborative

We are honored and excited to share that The BLACK Collaborative Inc. has officially joined Health Care Access Now HCAN Hub network as its newest Hub partner.

This partnership represents an important step forward in expanding culturally responsive, community-based care coordination for Medicaid-eligible families and Medicaid recipients across Hamilton County.

Founded in 2023, The BLACK Collaborative Inc. is committed to advancing maternal and infant health equity by reducing barriers to care and increasing access to trusted support for Black families and underserved communities. Through our work, we provide and connect families to perinatal mental wellness support, lactation education, cardiovascular health programming, mobile health outreach, screenings, essential resources, and wraparound navigation.
What makes our model unique is our ability to offer key services in-house, including mental wellness, lactation, and cardiovascular health support, helping reduce unnecessary external referrals and creating a more seamless experience for the families we serve.

We are proud to partner with HCAN as we continue working to reduce Black infant mortality, address maternal morbidity, and strengthen access to care across Cincinnati.
Thank you, Health Care Access Now, for welcoming The BLACK Collaborative Inc. into the HCAN Hub network. We are excited for what this partnership means for our organization, our families, and our community.

We’re proud to welcome The BLACK Collaborative Inc. as HCAN’s newest Hub partner!

Founded in 2023, they are advancing maternal and infant health equity in Cincinnati by expanding access to culturally responsive care—from perinatal mental health and lactation support to mobile clinics, screenings, and essential resources.

Their work reflects the bold, community-based leadership our region needs, and we’re excited to partner alongside them. Please join us in welcoming The BLACK Collaborative to the HCAN Hub network.

Join us June 10 for the Mobile Community Care Closet Pop-Up at Villages at Roll Hill — a community-based event offering family essentials and connections to health resources.

Free and open to all.
📍 Villages at Roll Hill, Cincinnati
🕙 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Learn more and RSVP: https://wix.to/L4siPK0

Mobile Community Care Closet Pop-Up — Villages at Roll Hill | The BLACK Collaborative Inc.™ Community-based pop-up offering family essentials and health resource connections.

I am super excited to finally share that The BLACK Collaborative received a grant from Greater Cincinnati Foundation / City Of Cincinnati Government to strengthen our BLACK MOTHER Collective Impact model to provide care navigating for the families we serve!

We are growing and will be introducing our Community Health Worker Supervisor soon…!

🥘🖤 HELP US FEED FAMILIES — FOOD BOX DONATIONS NEEDED 🖤🥘

The BLACK Collaborative Inc. is raising funds to provide food boxes for families through our Mobile Community Care Closet & Health Access Pop-Up Series.

At our first event, food support was one of the top needs identified by families — and we want to make sure no family leaves without access to food, care, and dignity.

Your donation helps us provide:
🥬 Fresh produce
🥫 Shelf-stable food items
👶🏾 Family-friendly food support
🧼 Hygiene + household essentials when available
🤝 Community-based care navigation

Every dollar helps us show up prepared for families across Cincinnati.

📍 Supporting families at:
Shelton Gardens | Villages at Roll Hill | Winton Terrace | Stanley Rowe Towers

💛 Donate today:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/support-black-families-protect-moms-and-babies

This is more than a food box — it’s care, relief, and community protection.

Please donate, share, and help us support Black families, moms, babies, and caregivers. 🖤

The BLACK Collaborative Inc. 🖤 Support Black Families. Protect Moms & Babies. 🌟Donate to The BLACK Collaborative Inc.! 🌟Black families continue to face disproportionate barriers to safe pregnancy, postpartum care, and infant feeding support—especially during times of crisis, extreme weather, and economic instability.The BLACK Collaborative Inc. is a Black-led, communi...

🖤 SHELTON GARDENS — THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP! 🖤

The BLACK Collaborative Inc. is still celebrating the impact of our Mobile Community Care Closet & Health Access Pop-Up Clinic at Shelton Gardens Apartments!

This event was more than a resource table — it was community care in motion. Together with our partners, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers, we brought health access, prevention, harm reduction, food support, maternal/infant resources, and dignity-centered supplies directly to families where they live.

✨ Event Impact Highlights:
✔ 40 individuals/families served
✔ 37 formal check-ins documented
✔ 14 blood pressure screenings completed
✔ 69 Narcan kits distributed
✔ 110 fentanyl test strips distributed
✔ 37 medication disposal bags distributed
✔ 25 food box requests documented
✔ 28 diaper/pull-up packs prepared
✔ 76 hygiene, household, postpartum, and infant care items/kits distributed

We also identified important community needs around food access, maternal and infant support, mental wellness, chronic disease prevention, and household stability — reminding us why bringing care directly into residential communities matters.

A special thank you to our partners and supporters, including:
🩺 AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio
💊 Hamilton County Public Health– Project DAWN
🖤 A1 Stigma Free Coalition
👩🏾‍⚕️ Delta Eta Eta Chapter Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.

…and every sponsor, vendor, volunteer, and donor who helped make this possible.

This is what health equity looks like: prevention, access, trust, and community care — all in one place.

Next stop: Villages at Roll Hill! 🚐🖤

🖤 BLACK MOTHERS IN CINCINNATI — YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS 🖤

Did you give birth within the last year?
Do you live in Cincinnati?

Did you intend to breastfeed, attempt to breastfeed, exclusively breastfeed, combination feed, pump, or have any breastfeeding experience at all?

We want to hear from you.

This community research study explores how neighborhoods, housing, transportation, safety, and community resources shape infant feeding experiences among Black families in Cincinnati.

📸 Participate in a paid community research study
🗣 Share your experiences through conversation + photos

💵 Receive up to $100 compensation

Complete the informed consent and interest form here:

https://forms.gle/CM4nhaK8S22Xkh2p7

Please share with a mother who should see this 💛

Informed Consent for Research Study: Black mothers in Cincinnati & Infant Feeding Experiences You are invited to take part in a research study about how neighborhood and environmental factors influence infant nutrition and breastfeeding experiences among Black mothers. This form is part of a process called “informed consent” to allow you to understand this study before deciding whether t...

📣 PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A COMMUNITY RESEARCH STUDY 📣

Are you a Black/African American mother living within the Cincinnati city limits who has given birth within the past 12 months?

You are invited to participate in a Walden University research study exploring how neighborhoods, housing, transportation, safety, and access to resources shape infant feeding and breastfeeding experiences among Black families in Cincinnati. https://forms.gle/VTYePmcE5929yRxh7

🖤 Your lived experience matters.
This study centers Black mothers as experts of their own experiences.

Participation Includes:
✔ A 60–90 minute interview
✔ A Photovoice activity (taking 5–10 photos over 2–3 weeks)
✔ A reflection discussion about your experiences and photographs

💵 Participants will receive $100 total compensation:
• $50 after the interview
• $50 after the reflection discussion

The study is being conducted by:
Dr. Natashia L. Conner, PhD, MPhil, MS, IBCLC
Walden University

To learn more or see if you qualify:
📧 [email protected]
📧 [email protected]
📱 (513) 403-2411

Please feel free to share this opportunity with eligible mothers and community networks.

📣 LAST CALL: VENDORS NEEDED – SHELTON GARDENS (MAY 8)

🖤 The BLACK Collaborative Inc. is preparing for our Mobile Community Care Closet & Health Access Pop-Up on Friday, May 8th and we have a few remaining vendor spots available!

---

📍 Event Details

Shelton Gardens Apartments
📅 May 8, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
🕘 Setup begins at 9:00 AM

---

💼 Vendor Opportunity – $150 (Reduced Rate)

We are opening a limited number of last-minute vendor spots for organizations that want to engage directly with the community.

Please Note:
• Vendors must bring their own table and chairs
• Must provide resources, education, or community services (no sales-only vendors)
• Estimated reach: 75–100 families

---

🎯 Ideal Vendors

✔ Health & wellness organizations
✔ Mental health & social services
✔ Nutrition / food education
✔ Family & youth services
✔ Community-based nonprofits

---

💛 Why Show Up?

• Direct access to families in a high-need community
• Opportunity to build trust and visibility
• Be part of a coordinated, equity-centered health initiative

---

⚠️ Spots are VERY limited and will be confirmed first come, first served

📧 Email: [email protected]
Subject: Shelton Gardens Vendor Spot

---

💬 We’re days away — if you’ve been thinking about it, this is your moment to show up for the community.

🚨 URGENT COMMUNITY NEED 🚨
We are currently working to support a mother who is 33 weeks pregnant with two young children under the age of 5 who is in immediate need of emergency housing.
We are actively seeking:
– Family shelters with availability
– Maternal or perinatal housing programs
– Rapid rehousing or crisis placement resources
This is a time-sensitive situation, and we are prioritizing safe, stable placement that can support both the mother and her children.
If you have leads, connections, or resources, please comment below or message us directly.
Please share to help us reach the right support quickly.
— The BLACK Collaborative Inc.