When I first came to new moms, I felt anxious. How am I going to take care of my child? That was the big question on my mind. I was applying for jobs. I wasn’t getting any jobs. I was fresh out of high school—young. I just didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew for a fact I had to make it happen because it was my responsibility. When I came across New Moms, I instantly knew that I was going to take part in it. I didn’t know where it was going to lead me, but I knew that I had nothing to lose at that point. I feel like all, all the programs had a huge impact on who I became.
– Aniah, New Moms Alumnus
Letter from the CEO – A Future Rooted in Possibility
Every day at New Moms, we see what becomes possible when young moms have something every family deserves: a safe place to live, people who believe in them, and the opportunity to shape their own future.
This year, a record 333 moms and 387 children were part of the New Moms community. Behind every number is a young family navigating change, setting goals, overcoming barriers, and building something new. And behind every success is a partnership—a coach showing up, a doula advocating in the delivery room, a supporter opening a door, a community member investing in possibility, and a mom deciding to take the next step.
Throughout this report, you will meet some of those moms. De’Avioun is pursuing her education and dreaming of becoming an architect. Deziyah has created a safe home and a stronger financial foundation for her daughter. Monica, our community-based doula, brings her own experience as a young mom and a family legacy of birth work to ensure the moms she serves feel heard, respected, and empowered. Their stories remind us that transformation rarely happens all at once. It happens one goal, one relationship, and one opportunity at a time.
This year also showed us the power of extending that impact beyond the families we serve directly. Through Bright Endeavors, young moms gained paid work experience while developing products and building partnerships with organizations such as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. Through Bright Path, we shared our relationship-centered, developmentally informed approach with leaders and organizations across the country.
Through advocacy, we continued working alongside young moms to advance policies that make housing, economic mobility, and family stability more attainable.
None of this work happens alone. It is made possible by the courage and determination of young moms, the dedication of our staff and board, the leadership of our alumni, and the generosity of our donors, volunteers, corporate partners, and community supporters.
As we look toward the future, we remain rooted in a simple belief: every young family deserves the opportunity to thrive. We will continue strengthening our programs, expanding our partnerships, sharing what we learn, and advocating for systems that recognize the strengths and potential of young families.
Thank you for believing in what is possible—and for helping create the conditions for young moms and their children to build the futures they envision.
With gratitude,
Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Success Story
De’Avioun | New Moms Participant
When De’Avioun found New Moms, she was pregnant and unsure of what her future would look like. She had been navigating an unstable housing situation and did not have a large support system at home. Looking for resources, she searched online for mom programs near her—and found New Moms. She walked into the Oak Park location, nervous but determined to find support.
At New Moms, De’Avioun found more than resources.
She found a community of people who saw her, supported her, and believed in her. Through the College Success program, she received encouragement and accountability as she pursued her education. She also participated in Family Support and Mental Health services, including child-parent therapy with her daughter, Elenisse.
“The resources that were available really helped me get to where I am,” De’Avioun shared. “It really has been a big part of my life.”
That support helped De’Avioun navigate the challenges of parenting, housing, and returning to school. She credits New Moms with helping her build confidence, manage stress, and become more organized. Most importantly, she learned that she did not have to navigate motherhood alone.
“New Moms gives me the resources. They give me the education, the tools to be educated,” she said. “Since I’ve been here, I see that I am more than capable of being a mom.”
Today, De’Avioun is pursuing her associate degree with plans to transfer and study architecture. Her goal is to become a licensed architect and use her work to support communities, particularly people who have experienced homelessness and unstable housing. Her own experiences have shaped her desire to create spaces where people feel supported and have a place to belong.
“I hope to work with some of you guys in the architecture, construction, and engineering fields someday,” she said. “It would mean the world to me to work with people who are supporting New Moms.”
De’Avioun is building a future not only for herself but for her daughter. And she hopes Elenisse grows up confident, curious, and supported—knowing that her mom pursued her dreams while creating a different future for them both.
“I know that I can do this,” De’Avioun said. “I am more than capable of being a mom.”
This year, New Moms supported young moms and their children through safe housing, family support, job training, and opportunities for economic mobility and family well-being.
Across our programs, participants built skills, strengthened stability, and connected to resources that helped them move toward their goals while New Moms expanded its impact through Bright Endeavors, Bright Path, and advocacy.
Participants developed workplace skills while contributing to the growth of New Moms’ social enterprise.
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Corporate Partnership: The partnership between Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated and New Moms has grown from volunteerism and diaper drives into a multifaceted collaboration that creates opportunities for young moms, Bright Endeavors Production Assistants, and Zeta leaders. Through Bright Endeavors, Zeta has entrusted New Moms with the fulfillment and kitting of its new-member materials, giving Production Assistants hands-on experience in quality control, time management, sustained attention, and emotional control.
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Creating job-training opportunities: Bright Endeavors Production Assistants assemble and fulfill Zeta Phi Beta’s new member materials, building skills in quality work, sustained attention, time management, stress tolerance, and emotional control.
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National leaders took notice of Bright Endeavors’ impact: In June, 20 leaders from ReDefine Alliance, a national organization supporting employment social enterprises, visited Bright Endeavors to learn how paid job training and social enterprise can create meaningful employment opportunities while advancing long-term community impact. The visit highlighted Bright Endeavors’ work in equipping young moms with career development opportunities and future-ready skills.
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Obama Center: This year, Bright Endeavors sold more than $20,000 in products at the Obama Center and has sold out several times.
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Corporate Gifting: Bright Endeavors’ Corporate Gifting line has had a strong year. More companies are choosing customized, meaningful gifts for their employees and clients, and each purchase directly supports New Moms’ mission. As demand grows, so does revenue for the social enterprise, and with it, our capacity to create more jobs for the young women we serve.
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Corporate gifting became a major driver of Bright Endeavors’ growth, emerging as our highest-revenue sales channel and an increasingly important part of the social enterprise. Partnerships with corporate customers are expanding the reach of Bright Endeavors’ products while creating more opportunities to support paid job training for young moms.
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Bright Path shares what we’ve learned with other human service organizations. Through training and coaching, we help partners apply the same relationship-centered, developmentally informed approach—creating opportunities for people to grow, contribute, and thrive. Together, we’re expanding the impact of science-backed, brain-based executive skills training far beyond New Moms.
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The partnership with Zeta continues. Through Bright Path, New Moms helped strengthen Zeta leaders nationwide through executive skills training. At the heart of the partnership is a shared commitment to women, economic empowerment, leadership, service, and multigenerational impact.
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Strengthening leaders: Bright Path trained approximately 15 Zeta administrative leaders in executive skills before expanding the training to more than 100 state and regional leaders nationwide.
Advocacy Wins
After more than two years of advocacy, legislation recognizing Employment Social Enterprises like Bright Endeavors has passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and awaits the Governor’s signature. New Moms also helped advance protections against hidden rental “junk fees,” greater transparency in state human services contracting through the Community Partner Fair Contracting Act, and authorization for NEST pilot programs in Cook County. At the federal and state levels, New Moms also advocated for affordable and supportive housing, energy cost assistance, and continued investment in evidence-based programs addressing homelessness.
Learn more: newmoms.org/policy.
Every dollar invested in New Moms creates opportunities for young families to thrive.
New Moms has lots of resources to help further your independence and will definitely get you where you want to go. The most helpful thing this program provides is job training, support groups, and GED courses, all of the resources that help us moms individually grow are so helpful, and grateful.
– NEW MOMS PARTICIPANT
Success Story
Deziyah | New Moms Participant
When Deziyah brought her newborn daughter, Ani, home from the hospital, home was a living room.
She shared a crowded apartment with multiple adults. There was no bedroom door, no private space, and no place where she could simply focus on caring for her newborn. She spent hours worrying about how she would provide for her daughter while navigating the challenges of new motherhood.
“It just feels like a relief,” she says when describing where she is today.
That relief came through partnership.
At New Moms, Deziyah was connected with coaches who helped her identify goals and develop a plan to achieve them. Her housing coach connected her to resources and opportunities that helped her move toward stable housing. Her family support coach helped her build confidence as a parent and advocate for herself and her daughter. Financial coaching helped her develop budgeting skills and create a path toward long-term stability.
For the first time, Deziyah felt supported by people who believed in her potential.
Today, she has a safe place to call home, a stronger financial foundation, and a vision for her family’s future. Most importantly, she has confidence in her ability to create opportunities for herself and her daughter.
“I know I can do hard things now,” she says.
Deziyah’s journey demonstrates what is possible when young moms have access to the support, resources, and encouragement they deserve.
FY26 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NEW MOMS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Dana Emanuel
VP of Learning & Impact
Inez Thomas, M.N.M.
VP of Programs
Mallory Tesauro, SPHR
VP of Talent
Anne VanderWeele
VP of Policy & Government Affairs
Anne Schulz, LCSW
Senior Director of Performance Management
Susanna Quevedo, M.Ed.
Director of Workforce Development
Gail Shelton
Director of Parent Education & Recruitment
Nika Vaughan
Social Enterprise Director
Laura Velazquez
Director of Finance
Katie Wise
Sr. Director of Family Support
Aasta Ziegler
Director of Clinical Services
FY26 NEW MOMS ASSOCIATE BOARD
Michelle Alero Adeniyi
Kenyetta Allen
Ogo Amadi
Deanna Barnes
Jynnifer Bates-Cotharn
Courtney Berry
London Black
Jasmin Brown
Brittany Busch
Julia Callahan
Emily Coleman
Brendan Creamer
Katie Crowder
Heather Cull
Cheryl Darling
Deborah (Dee) Davis
Kara Delmore
Sarah DeMott
Melissa DeSimone
Tibessa Ellis
Ingrid Fowler-Wrather
Liz Franz
Rachel Gatto
Jenna Glass
Krystyna Goldberg
LeJamiel Goodall
Toni Grimes
Lauren Henderson
Brianna Hill
Ashley Holiday
Cate Huizenga
Constance Jackson
Niktoria Julian
Jessica Kahn
Rachael Kiphart
Varna Kodoth
Alexia Kontos
Kylie Kowalski
Ericka Kroger
Tiffany Liner
Tiffany Luo
Meghan Maloney
Leah Marks
Jessica McClain
Alyssa Mendez
Mary Michaelsen
Cheron Mims
Kelley Moore
Maggie Nolan
David Novak
Victoria Onufrieff
Anike Owoye
Meghan Premo-Hopkins
Abigail Rasweiler
Sarah Robins
Natasha Saputra
Christie Schuessler
Jenny Seewald
Tracee Sharrieff
Bryn Siberski
Samantha Siers
Casey Solt
Iesha Sturdivant
Claire Van Horn
Catherine Ward
Julia Waterbury
Ashley Wiggins
Jhontia Williams
Kendra Wright
For Monica Lagunas, supporting young moms at New Moms is deeply personal. Monica became a mom herself at 18 and comes from a family of birth workers and doulas. Her own experiences—both positive and difficult—shaped her commitment to making sure young moms feel safe, supported, and empowered during pregnancy, birth, and the early days of parenting. At New Moms, Monica shows up “with all of my heart,” building trust through consistency, listening to moms’ concerns, validating their feelings, and standing alongside them as they advocate for themselves. She says one of the most meaningful parts of her work is witnessing a mom after birth, seeing the pride on her face as she says, “I did it.” Monica brings her own parenting journey and her family’s “ancestral knowing” into every birth, creating a grounded and empowering presence for the moms she serves.
“The most impactful part, especially being a Black woman, is having somebody that advocates for you, because a lot of times people don’t want to hear you while you’re giving birth.”
– Tatiana, Alumnus
Why I Give
