CHASS Center Receives Gift to Launch Community Doula Program

Funding From Schostak Brothers Supports Vital Maternal Health Initiative in Southwest Detroit

Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center Inc. in Southwest Detroit announced it received a $150,000 gift from Schostak Brothers & Co. to launch a community doula program at the Center. The gift provides the funding needed to integrate the CHASS Center Community Based Doula Program as part as of its prenatal care services to bolster positive maternal physical and emotional health outcomes in Southwest Detroit. The gift, a part of Schostak’s 100th Anniversary Community Giving Campaign, was announced at CHASS Center on August 10th during National Health Center Week (August 7-13).

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of Schostak Brothers & Co. in making it possible to bring our doula program back to CHASS Center,” said Felix M. Valbuena, Jr., MD, FAAFP. “With a fulltime staff of three doulas, our program will provide support services for to up to 60 patients per year.

The integration of the doulas into our healthcare team, coupled with the delivery of culturally and linguistically competent maternity care, will result in increased pre and postnatal visit rates and help to decrease pregnancy-related complications in our community.”

The doulas will work closely with medical providers and collaborate with other community health workers, breastfeeding educators, registered dietitians, and behavioral health staff at CHASS Center to provide comprehensive resources for prenatal and postnatal health and wellness support. The program will also support infant health by educating new moms on infant feeding and connect families to CHASS Center as their medical home for preventive screenings and immunizations.

Moms-to-be will be referred to Labor and Delivery at Henry Ford Health Main Campus. CHASS Center is partnered with HFH Obstetrics for support, including Labor and Delivery for approximately 400 women annually. Additionally, the community-based doulas will support coordination of care, including transportation to CHASS Center and HFH Main Campus. The projected start date for the doula program is Fall 2022.

In a statement, third generation Schostak Brothers, Bobby, David and Mark Schostak said “We deeply admire CHASS Center’s vision, passion and mission to provide comprehensive, accessible and affordable healthcare services in southwest Detroit. The service and support they provide is critically needed in our present-day circumstances. We are honored to aid CHASS Center in launching their in-house doula program and support their diligent efforts and commitment to the overall wellbeing of our community.”

In June 2022, Schostak Brothers & Company announced that they will mark their 100th anniversary with a community giving campaign to distribute $1 million across impactful Detroit-based nonprofit organizations. Selected from a range of nonprofit sectors including neighborhoods, workforce development, education, health and entrepreneurship, the goal of the initiative was to select organizations based on their work in Detroit, the city where the company was founded a century ago.

The gift recipients have been chosen through an extensive selection process involving Schostak employees, with the intent to help the charities complete a current project or start a new phase while shining a light on each organization’s efforts to reach other potential donors. Additional funding recipients will be announced throughout Schostak’s anniversary year, in coordination with each organization’s projects and initiatives.

CHASS Center is part of a nationwide network of health centers that serve more than 30 million people. In Michigan, health centers serve more than 709,000 patients at more than 330 sites throughout the state. CHASS Center accepts patients of all ages and work with the uninsured to insured, including Medicaid and Medicare.

The Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center, Inc. is a community-based, not for profit organization formed to develop, promote, and provide comprehensive, accessible and affordable quality primary health care and support services to all, with special emphasis on the underserved African-American and Latino populations. CHASS is committed to the overall well-being of the community.