This place is important because it gave me the skills that I didn’t know I even had within myself.
– NEW MOMS PARTICIPANT
Letter from the President
What an incredible year it has been! Since joining New Moms 11 years ago, I never stop being amazed by what’s possible when we rally around young moms and their families — and this year was no exception.
Our participants come to New Moms during some of the most vulnerable and uncertain times of their young lives — yet the tenacity, resilience and strength they demonstrate in the face of huge challenges are powerful reminders of what’s possible when a community rises together to share encouragement and support.
It’s a network of hope that wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our team, who this year continued to innovate and find new ways to support young moms and children — all while offering deep, committed care for each participant. And the support of our Board, donors and volunteers has been equally vital, fueling this mission through generosity, guidance and unwavering belief in what these young women can achieve.
This past year has shown us the power of coming together, as we continue to drive lasting, generational change – because we know that when young moms rise, their children, families and the entire community rise with them.
With gratitude,
Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D.
President & CEO
OUR MISSION
New Moms’ mission is to strengthen families by partnering with young moms as they progress towards housing stability, economic mobility, and family well-being.
OUR VISION
We envision a future where every young family thrives.
Success Story
Lanetta | 2025 New Moms Alumna
Lanetta, a young mom of two little girls, found New Moms at a time when she was feeling low, struggling through postpartum depression after the birth of her second daughter. In this community, she found the support she needed in order to create a brighter future.
“New Moms changed a lot in my path, because my path was that I didn’t know what I was going to do or what I was going to be,” she reflected. “Now, I’m on a path and prioritizing what can be done. I’m making short-term and long-term goals to see what’s realistic, and which ones might take time.”
Lanetta engaged in just about each one of our core programs. In the Job Training program, she worked in multiple areas of our social enterprise Bright Endeavors, from pouring candles to product finishing, and even selling the candles out in the community.
Through it all, she not only gained valuable work experience, but also found a new tool that she will carry with her no matter where her path takes her: “The executive skills they engrave in you,” she said, speaking to the core capabilities she learned to organize, self-regulate and get things done. “They really do put you in a position where you can use those skills not just at New Moms but everywhere in general.”
New Moms’ social enterprise Bright Endeavors provided paid work experience and training for young moms as they crafted and sold premium soy candles and home fragrance products. Participants gained skills and confidence while earning a paycheck.
-
89 participants worked 2,416 days at Bright Endeavors.
-
10% revenue increase for offsite sales and consignment over FY24.
-
REDF site visit hosted for Chicago Employment Social Enterprises.
Sharing what we’ve learned is at the heart of Bright Path (formerly The Hub), a facet of our organization committed to strengthening human services from the inside out by providing training and consulting to other human service agencies, foundations, and social enterprises.
-
New program name was unveiled, as well as a new logo and website: hirebrightpath.org.
-
We provided training and consulting services to 13 organizations.
-
5 workshops facilitated across the country about coaching for economic mobility and family well-being.
New Moms Honored as a Best and Brightest Company to Work for in Chicago
New Moms was selected as one of just 25 businesses in the Chicago area that were found to offer the top innovative business acumen and distinguished human resources practices. The winning companies were evaluated by an independent research firm that reviewed a variety of key metrics, ranging from benefits to well-being solutions to civility and inclusion, plus much more.
The honor is a testament to the passion and commitment shown by our staff every day as we work together to make a change for young moms in our community.
Learn more: newmoms.org/careers.
Record-Breaking Fundraising Helped Drive Our Impact
New Moms founded a new event and fine-tuned annual traditions to gain more support than ever before.
- In September, we introduced the Golf Classic as a new fundraising event, drawing about 170 participants and raising an incredible $154,000.
- In April, New Moms hosted our annual fundraising gala, when nearly 500 guests raised their paddles to contribute a record-breaking $454,880!
- To close out the year, the community showed up big and exceeded our year-end ask by donating a record-breaking $43,000, shattering our $30,000 goal.
Thanks to this incredible generosity, young moms and their families will be supported by New Moms as they make generational change.
Mental Wellness Program Expanded to Support Moms and Children
Thanks to the Cook County Health grant and a valuable partnership with Rush, New Moms was able to expand our Mental Wellness program to provide moms and their children with behavioral health and psychiatric support. Three key areas were launched or expanded this year:
- Individual therapy for young mothers was expanded, increasing participation by 50% while investing in training to ensure access to high-quality, evidence-based approaches.
- A Parent-Child Therapy program launched as a way to strengthen caregiver-child relationships during two critical stages of development: early childhood and adolescence.
- A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner provided on-site assessment and medication management, creating a one-stop behavioral-health access point for participants to see their therapist, psychiatric provider and coach all in one day.
The outcomes for these young moms and their children has been tremendous, with 88% of moms reporting improved mental health, and 89% sharing that parent-child therapy strengthened their relationships. And the stories are just as uplifting. As one participant wrote to her therapist: “I trusted myself and stayed true to who I am. … You’re teaching me how to celebrate myself more.”
New Moms is truly an exceptional organization. Because of their intentional approach and multi-generational impact, New Moms is also one of our top choices for personal giving. It is inspiring to follow their work!
New Moms continues to exhibit financial growth. Revenue increase is attributed to the longevity of funder relationships and establishing new funding sources within Contributions & Foundations and in Government Contracts.
It helps us know that we are heard, we are loved, we have a spot in this world.
– NEW MOMS PARTICIPANT
Success Story
Janiece | 2025 New Moms Alumna
When Janiece found New Moms last year, she said it felt like a breath of fresh air. Before then, the young mom, raising her baby and toddler alone, had been moving from house to house without a clear plan for the future. New Moms not only provided her with housing and job training, but a network of care and a belief in herself she had never had before.
“I would say it changed my life, because I never received so much support,” she said.
Janiece quickly developed relationships throughout the organization. A therapist supported her mental wellness and how to express herself, and other moms in the parent support group showed her she’s not alone. Meanwhile, her coaches helped her develop goals and build the confidence she needed to achieve them.
“Before I felt like I didn’t have that motherly support, but my coaches believed in me and they pushed me, and I feel like that really helped,” she said.
After just a year in the program, Janiece has a new future to look forward to. She has her own stable housing and a job at a local university. And, she has big dreams for the future, including opening her own food truck.
“If you are focusing on your goals and doing what you have to do, you get rewarded.”
FY25 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NEW MOMS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Bonnie Andorka, Director of Individual Giving
Dana Emanuel, Senior Director of Learning & Innovation
Tonja Harris, Director of Housing
Susanna Johnson, Director of Workforce Development
Ellen Kogstad, Founder, Director of Spiritual Formation
Anne Schulz, Senior Director of Performance Management
Gail Shelton, Director of Parent Education & Recruitment
Mallory Tesauro, Director of HR
Anne VanderWeele, Director of Policy
Nika Vaughan, Social Enterprise Director
Laura Velazquez, Director of Finance
Katie Wise, Director of Family Support
Aasta Ziegler, Director of Clinical Services
FY25 NEW MOMS ASSOCIATE BOARD
Kenyetta Allen
Ogo Amadi
Deanna Barnes
London Black, MSW
Jasmin Brown
Brittany Busch, MIS
Kathleen Crowder
Heather Cull
Cheryl Darling
Kara Delmore
Sarah DeMott
Melissa DeSimone
Tibessa Ellis
Shannon Finnegan
Ingrid Fowler-Wrather
Elizabeth Franz
Rachel Gatto
Jenna Glass
Krystyna Goldberg, MSPT
Siobhan Goree, QSSP
Toni Grimes
Lauren Henderson
Jessica Holden, MSHR, SPHR
Constance Jackson
Cate Jamison Huizenga
Niktoria Julian
Jessica Kahn
Rachael Kiphart
Varna Kodoth
Alexia Kontos
Kylie Kowaleski
Ericka Kroger
Tiffany Liner
Tiffany Luo
Nell Maggio
Meghan Maloney-Venhuizen
Leah Marks
Jessica McClain
Mary Michaelsen
Cheron Mims
Maggie Nolan, CPA
David Novak, Ph.D.
Victoria Onufrieff
Meghan Premo-Hopkins
Logan Quan
Abigail Rasweiler
Sarah Robins
Natasha Saputra
Christie Schuessler
Jenny Seewald
Bryn Siberski
Samantha Siers
Casey Solt BS, MBA
Claire Van Horn
Catherine Ward
Julia Waterbury
Jhontia Williams
Kendra Wright
Success Story
Eusebia Flores | Senior Doula at New Moms
“Every mom wants the best for their babies, but not every mom has the tools to do so,” said Eusebia Flores, a senior doula at New Moms. “It’s our job to provide the tools that the moms need.”
During the six years she’s been with our Doula Program, Eusebia has offered support and provided resources to ensure moms-to-be feel ready to welcome their little one. Through the program, these young moms gain skills and tools they’ll need as a new parent. And, Eusebia shared, they also find a safe space for encouragement, connections and care.
“All women need non-judgemental support,” she said. “We are there to make sure the prenatal group is a safe space and to provide the tools that they want so they can be the best moms for their babies.”
For Eusebia, one of the highlights of each cohort is the New Moms baby shower for the expecting mothers, providing them with many of the necessities they’ll need for their baby in addition to the skills they’ve learned along the way. And as their doula, she continues to gain so much along the way, too.
“I feel like I’m mothering all of those young moms, like I’m a grandma,” she said with a laugh. “It’s what doulas do, give physical and emotional support for moms and their family.”
Why I Give
“I always think of my own mother when I make my contributions to New Moms. No matter the stage in life, becoming a mother for the first time seems to be a moment that so many never feel quite prepared for. As a product of my mother’s newness filled with wins and obstacles, I admire New Moms for standing in the gaps for mothers to achieve more wins and overcome.
The simple answer is: Donating to New Moms is the least I can do for all that my mother has done for me. It’s the minimum. I do it in honor of her. Thanks, Mom!”
– Anjylla Foster, New Moms supporter
