Moms Connect DBQ

In the greater Dubuque community, many mothers are navigating generational trauma, poverty, and complex systems in isolation, leading to cycles of crisis and family separation that repeat across generations.

Moms Connect exists to interrupt that pattern.

As foster parents, we saw these cycles firsthand: children in foster care turned into the parents experiencing instability and family separation. Instead of waiting for crisis, we asked how we could take our impact upstream. In May of 2023, two moms who had experienced the foster care system, both as children and parents, gave us the answer: consistent, safe, and healthy relationships with people who saw them with dignity and believed in their ability to lead their own families. We built Moms Connect with moms, centering their voices and recognizing them as the experts in their own lives.

Our work is grounded in research and proven approaches. Studies show that a person’s relational health is a stronger predictor of long-term mental health than their history of adversity.  As members of the True Charity Network and the National Family Support Network, we align with evidence-based practices that prioritize relationships, peer support, and the strengthening of protective factors within families. Through mentorship, peer connection, leadership opportunities, and direct access to resources, we walk alongside moms over time to identify needs earlier, respond sooner, and prevent crises before they escalate. 

Since May 2023, Moms Connect has engaged over 400 mothers and children and we have been witness to incredible outcomes. Mothers in our MC community are safely closing child welfare cases and maintaining stability, and to date, no active Moms Connect mom has experienced termination of parental rights. In contrast, local system data shows families frequently re-entering child welfare involvement within one year and dozens of families experiencing permanent separation from their children. The difference isn't just access to resources or services, it's that those resources and services are more effective when accessed within the context of a safe relationship.

Our goal is to show up early- before families are separated and before crisis hits. By helping moms build consistent, trusted relationships with other moms, with us, and with local resources, they can access support upstream, when it can make the greatest difference for generations. This early, relational support helps stabilize families, strengthen parenting, and create more secure futures for children. 

By walking alongside moms early and consistently, we get a front row seat to families breaking cycles for generations to come.