2026 Outstanding Community Organization Award Winner: African American Babies Coalition and Projects
Congratulations to Wilder African American Babies Coalition and Projects (AABC), the recipient of MNPQC’s 2026 Outstanding Community Organization Award. AABC truly embodies the spirit of this award through its commitment to improving perinatal health outcomes and advancing birth equity for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and underserved families.
From providing direct support to families to strengthening the systems that serve them, AABC takes a comprehensive approach to improving perinatal health. Their work includes culturally responsive home visiting, postpartum support, doula partnerships, education, and resource navigation, while also bringing together healthcare providers, community organizations, policymakers, and other partners to address the systemic barriers that contribute to inequitable birth outcomes.
AABC’s leadership and innovation are also evident in the way they bring people and ideas together. Through community events like the Black and Brown Birthing Summit and partnerships such as the Safer Birthing Consortium, AABC creates opportunities for collaboration, learning, and meaningful systems change. Their innovative programs, including the Gentle Postpartum Recovery Project and expanded Family Spirit Home Visiting Program, respond directly to community needs, while their research helps bring greater visibility to the experiences and challenges facing Black and Brown families.
We are proud to recognize their leadership and the meaningful contributions they continue to make toward a more equitable perinatal health system for Minnesota families. Thank you to the AABC and Projects team for their unwavering dedication and impact.
Learn more about the Wilder African American Babies Coalition and Projects: https://aabcprojects.org/
We are also proud to recognize MNPQC’s 2026 Outstanding Community Organization Award Honorable Mentions – The Childbirth Collective, Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies, the Chocolate Milk Club, Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Minnesota, and the Southside Community Health Services – for how their efforts have made a lasting impact in the communities they serve.
Each of these incredible organizations has gone above and beyond in their commitment to supporting families across Minnesota through their programs, services, and outreach processes. At the MNPQC, we see you and thank staff for their unwavering efforts to improve maternal and infant health!