Virginia Women and Family Support Center Opens Carried To Full Term Maternal Health Program

Emily Ennochs
Aug 22
2 min read

Updated: Aug 25

Gainesville, VA – August 15, 2025 – The Virginia Women and Family Support Center (VAWFSC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate the opening of its Carried To Full Term Maternal Health Program, a new initiative designed to support women facing maternal health challenges and crisis pregnancies.

The program, based at 14019 Glenkirk Road in Gainesville, will provide pregnancy tests, sonograms, maternal health classes, and advocacy tools for expecting and new mothers. Participants will also have access to the center’s 'Mom's Boutique', which offers children’s clothing, shoes, and diapers.

The launch was made possible through partnerships with UVA Health, Inova Fairfax, and Sentara Healthcare.

Del. Josh Thomas, who attended with his son, addressed the maternal health crisis and the disproportionate impact it has on women of color. “You feel this intense joy [when expecting a child], and then, if you know the statistics, you feel this subtle fear set in eventually,” Thomas said, referencing the CDC’s finding that the 2023 maternal mortality rate for Black women was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 14.5 for white women.

Frances Robin, founder and executive director of VAWFSC, emphasized the program’s mission. “Our focus through the Carried To Full Term Maternal Health Program is to create safe spaces for women, educate communities, and empower women to advocate for themselves and others.”

Michael Barkema, Assistant Vice President of operations at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, called the program “critical” to the Northern Virginia community.

The maternal health program expands VAWFSC’s work, which includes providing housing for pregnant women and children experiencing homelessness across three residential locations.

For more information about the Virginia Women and Family Support Center program and the Carried To Full Term Maternal Health program, visit www.vawfsc.org and carriedtofullterm.org