Jeremy C. Park interviews Ashley King, Education Director at Hope Clinic for Women, who discusses the clinic's mission and comprehensive support and healthcare services for women and families, particularly focusing on their Bridge Parenting Program. Hope Clinic for Women has been serving women, men, and families in Nashville, Tennessee since 1983. The organization's mission is to provide compassionate, professional care for unplanned pregnancies, women's health, counseling, and relationship education. Ashley explains that Hope Clinic is a faith-based organization that provides safe and confidential support for families from pregnancy through the child's second year.

During the interview, Ashley shares insights about Project Impact, a comprehensive 9-month study that gathered client feedback to improve services and outcomes. Ashley describes the process that involved conducting 26 client interviews and an intentional survey to gather detailed feedback on client experiences and behavior changes. The team at Hope Clinic used this data to identify common themes, challenges, and potential future impacts, aiming to better understand client needs and improve their services. Ashley discusses the challenges faced by families with multiple children, highlighting the need for reliable childcare services and transportation to enable parents to participate in programs and activities. She emphasizes the importance of addressing these barriers to help parents feel more confident and supported in their parenting journey.

The study also revealed that participants highly valued community and staff relationships. Based on this feedback, the team is working on enhancing their services and resources to better meet the needs of their clients and to better focus on addressing challenges faced by families with multiple children. The program will focus on creating spaces for connection and education across different parenting stages. The program will offer flexible scheduling with various time slots on Saturdays, weekdays, and evenings to accommodate working and stay-at-home parents.

Ashley discusses the current state of their program, noting that they serve between 80 to 100 families, with some participating in virtual classes, counseling, or in-person classes. They plan to make the program more cohesive and anticipate a slight decrease in the number of families served initially. However, they aim to expand the program's impact in the Nashville area, providing a safe environment for children to grow and thrive.

Ashley describes the impact of their program through testimonials from families who receive support through a Baby Boutique store. The program provides essential items like diapers, formula, and clothing to expecting parents, allowing them to celebrate their journey with community support. The highlight for families is the opportunity to receive these gifts and celebrate with their community, which helps them start their family on a positive footing.

The discussion concludes with details about upcoming changes to the program, including new Care Coach initiatives and plans to expand community connections through a new model launching in January 2026. Hope Clinic for Women is focusing on recruiting Care Coaches to provide monthly check-ins for clients addressing their physical, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual needs. She emphasizes the importance of financial contributions to support operations and restock the store with new items for showers, while also encouraging community members to donate gently used items like car seats and strollers.

Ashley expresses excitement about providing more opportunities for families to connect and support each other, and seeing these connections develop, as they have been piloting similar ideas for the past six months. Jeremy highlights the ripple effect of these connections, building both internal community and external relationships in Middle Tennessee and beyond.

Visit https://hopeclinicforwomen.org to learn more about Hope Clinic for Women.