Leon Levine Foundation Invests $2.8 Million to Combat Maternity Deserts

The investment targets a stark reality: over one-third of North Carolina counties are now classified as maternity care deserts by the March of Dimes, with 28% lacking a single birthing hospital, obstetrician, or certified nurse midwife. By funding a collaborative model involving Nurture NC, the North Carolina Community Health Center Association, and local medical networks, the foundation hopes to provide consistent prenatal and postpartum support to communities accounting for roughly 2,300 births each year.

The initiative centers on a shared care approach, allowing expectant mothers to receive check-ups from local family physicians while maintaining digital or consultative links to obstetric specialists elsewhere. Tom Lawrence, CEO of The Leon Levine Foundation, emphasized that the model is designed to reduce the physical and financial burdens of travel, ultimately fostering healthier outcomes for both mothers and infants. Chris Shank of the NCCHCA noted that community health centers are the primary vehicle for this expansion, building local capacity to ensure that geography no longer dictates the quality of a child's first days.