Supporting Moms and Reunifying Families: Meet Amy Ard of Motherhood Beyond Bars

In this episode of Community Possibilities, you will meet Amy Ard, Executive Director of Motherhood Beyond Bars. Being a nonprofit leader was not Amy's career plan, but sometimes, life takes you in unexpected places. One profound experience in her life that led her back to her home, Atlanta. 

• We talk about how Amy first become aware of  incarcerated women who are pregnant and how this forever changed her life. 
• The fact that shackling pregnant and laboring women was legal in many states, including Georgia. 
• How common is it for women who are incarcerated to be pregnant or have children already. (Hint: We don't know).
• I ask the question some people may be thinking, Why should I care? 
• The kind of services does Motherhood Beyond Bars provide? 
• How MBB shifted in response to systemic barriers.
•  How does MBB make a difference? (any outcomes you can share).
• Why I dubbed Amy "the Equalizer."
• What is challenging for her as a nonprofit leader.
• How they are measuring the outcomes of MBB for the families they serve.
• What is next for Motherhood Beyond Bars.

Learn More about Motherhood Beyond Bars and follow them on social.

Amy's Bio
Amy Ard is the founding Executive Director of Motherhood Beyond Bars (MBB), a nonprofit serving incarcerated pregnant women and their infants. MBB provides holistic family support with the goal of ending cycles of incarceration in families and is the only organization in Georgia supporting pregnant women in custody and conducting vital research on the impacts of maternal incarceration on infants and families.  Amy is a graduate of Atlanta Public Schools, Denison University, and Vanderbilt Divinity School.  Amy and her husband, Michael Waller, live in her childhood home with Amy’s mother, three children, and a handful of quail in the backyard.

Like what you heard? Please like and share wherever you get your podcasts!

Connect with Ann: Community Evaluation Solutions

How Ann  can help:

• Support the evaluation capacity of your coalition or community-based organization.
• Help you create a strategic plan that doesn’t stress you and your group out, doesn’t take all year to design, and is actionable.
• Engage your group in equitable, difficult conversations.
• Facilitate a workshop to plan for action and get your group moving.
• Create a workshop that energizes and excites your group for action.
• Sp

Like what you heard? Please like and share wherever you get your podcasts!

Connect with Ann: Community Evaluation Solutions

How Ann can help:

· Support the evaluation capacity of your coalition or community-based organization.

· Help you create a strategic plan that doesn’t stress you and your group out, doesn’t take all year to design, and is actionable.

· Engage your group in equitable discussions about difficult conversations.

· Facilitate a workshop to plan for action and get your group moving.

· Create a workshop that energizes and excites your group for action.

· Speak at your conference or event.

Have a question or want to know more? Book a call with Ann .

Be sure and check out our updated resource page! Let us know what was helpful.

Music by Zach Price: Zachpricet@gmail.com