The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) recognizes the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade and the impending increase in maternal mortality rates and health and economic disparities of the families we serve.

The 2022 Maternal Mortality Annual Report released by the Tennessee Department of Health showed a 51% increase in maternal mortality from 2017-2019. This data, the Supreme Court’s decision, and Tennessee’s “Heartbeat Bill” create an additional burden on the need for women’s and children’s health resources and access to services across our communities.

For the past 26 years, the focus of WFGM has always been and will continue to be about equity for women and their families. As a backbone organization aligning people, resources and coordinating community-based services, we understand now is the time, more than ever, where we all have to stand up, collaborate and join together for the equity, economic security, health and well-being for all women and children.

What next?

As we think strategically about our work and how we best support women and children in the Greater Memphis area, WGFM remains steadfast in our mission to encourage philanthropy and foster leadership among women and support programs that enable women and children to reach their full potential. Women’s access to all Healthcare needs is a critical component of our commitment to reducing poverty for women and children and it remains our top priority.

We stand strong on women’s equity and access to education and health care.

We recognize the growing need for maternal and prenatal care, early childhood education, childcare, nutrition and food security, contraception, sex education and more. Our grantee partners are leading community efforts to improve health care among women, expand childcare and early childhood education options, and generate jobs that can support the wholeness of families and more – all with the goal of improving outcomes and creating a successful future. We stand firm in our support of our community partners who empower women to reach their life goals and will continue to support the women in our community through our investments in programming and services related to women’s health, access to critical resources, and elimination of barriers to those resources.

Our Vision 2025 Strategic Plan supports increasing investment and reducing poverty in five Memphis neighborhoods by 2025. These include some of the poorest neighborhoods in Memphis and some of our most vulnerable community members. By supporting grantee partners who invest in education and programming related to women’s health and access, we will continue to stand strong for the women who need us most and for all women in Memphis and Shelby County.