Help Launch the Jewish Parent Empowerment Network!
Right now, maternal mental health is a pressing public health crisis—with 1 in 5 women experiencing anxiety or depression within the first year of having a baby. That’s one in five moms struggling—often silently—at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
We believe every new parent deserves timely, compassionate, and effective care, and that Jewish families should feel supported by a community that sees and honors their experience. That’s why we’re launching the Jewish Parent Empowerment Network (JPEN)—and we need your help to make it happen!
We are a grassroots organization based in the Greater Philadelphia area, partnering with local synagogues and Jewish institutions across all denominations to enhance maternal mental health and strengthen the well-being of parents with children ages 0–5. The exciting part? Five local synagogues are already on board and ready to begin programming in Fall 2025. All we need now is you.
Our Goal: $60,000
This funding will allow us to launch our full first year of programming. Here’s what your support will make possible:
~4 Prenatal & Postpartum Group Cohorts
Professionally facilitated, peer-based support for new and expecting parents.
~Centralized Online Referral Network
A user-friendly database connecting families to trusted doulas, lactation consultants, pediatricians, mental health providers, sleep coaches, pelvic floor therapists and more.
~Mental Health Training for Clergy & Jewish Leaders
Equipping leaders with the skills to recognize, refer, and support families needing maternal mental health support
~Synagogue Ambassador Program
Trained lay leaders in local synagogues who serve as peer supports and community connectors for families with new babies
~Building & Educational Events
Opportunities to gather, learn, and grow stronger together.
Our Impact
With your support, we expect to reach more than 840 families in our first year. Together, we will:
Decrease isolation among new parents
Increase access to quality mental health resources
Build stronger, more connected Jewish communities
Create a scalable model that other regions can adopt
Why Us?
Gabrielle Grode is a certified parent coach and a public health practitioner in the maternal and child health field. She is the owner of Gabrielle Grode Parent Coaching, LLC, a private parent coaching practice. Gabrielle is also a Senior Project Director with the Research & Evaluation Group at Public Health Management Corporation.
Rebecca Millner is a community mental health practitioner with over a decade of experience working to support the needs of women and children through the integration of perinatal mental health and trauma-informed models into treatment. She holds advanced training from Postpartum Support International, the Seleni Institute, and the Somatic Experiencing International. She currently runs the Mental Health Initiative at Adath Israel synagogue on the Main Line.
Why Crowdfunding?
Because change begins with community. We’re not waiting for top-down funding. We’re inviting our friends, families, allies, and networks to come together and say: we care, we see you, and we’re here to help.
The Jewish Parent Empowerment Network is fiscally sponsored by Adath Israel located in Merion Station, PA. All donations are tax-deductible.
Can’t Donate? You Can Still Help!
~ Are you a provider? We’d love to include you in our referral network.
~Want JPEN programming in your synagogue or Jewish organization? Let’s talk!
~Help spread the word—share this campaign with your community!
Stay in touch or reach out at: jpenetwork1@gmail.com
Thank you for being part of this vision. Together, we’re creating a community where no parent feels alone, and every family feels supported
