Free Ride Program Improves Maternity Care Access

WIDENING PROJECT FOR WGCU NEWS. >> I'M KATE KRONON. >> AND NON PROFIT CALLED GREEN CARS FOR KIDS AIMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR UNDERSERVED PREGNANT WOMEN WHILE HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT. THE FOUNDER SAYS SINCE 2021, THEY HAVE PROVIDED MORE THAN 10,000 FREE RIDES FOR PREGNANT MOTHERS AND CHILDREN TO GET TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA. SOME OF THE MOTHERS ARE FROM HENDRY COUNTY WHO NEED TO GET TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS ON THE EAST COAST. THE NONPROFIT SAYS THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR THIS SERVICE EXPOSES A CRITICAL GAP IN ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR DISADVANTAGED MOTHERS AND CHILDREN >> I'M NOW JOINED BY DR CATHERINE TOMS, THE PRESIDENT OF GREEN CARS FOR KIDS. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. >> THANKS, JENNIFER. NOW YOUR NONPROFIT IS BASED ON THE EAST COAST OF SOUTH FLORIDA. WHAT IS THE MISSION OF GREEN CARS FOR KIDS? SO >> WE WANT TO BRIDGE THE TRANSPORTATION GAP TO GOOD HEALTH FOR BOTH PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN. WE KNOW THAT TRANSPORTATION IS A BIG BARRIER TO HEALTH WE JUST WE WANT TO BE THAT CONDUIT BETWEEN THE CLINICS AND HOME. >> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE OVERALL NEED FOR A SERVICE LIKE THIS IN SOUTH FLORIDA? >> THE IDEA OF GREEN CARS FOR KIDS CAME ABOUT THROUGH A FOCUS GROUP THAT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE MARCH OF DIMES AND IT WAS LOOKING AT THE REASONS WHY WE'RE SEEING SUCH POOR BIRTH OUTCOMES, PARTICULARLY IN BROWARD COUNTY AND TRANSPORTATION KEPT COMING UP AS A PROBLEM. SO WITH ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MARCH OF DIMES, WE DEVELOPED THIS CONCEPT AND WE LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM AS A PILOT IN BROWARD COUNTY IN 2023. AND WE'VE BEEN GOING EVER SINCE WE EXPANDED TO MIAMI-DADE IN 2024 AND THEN JUST THIS SUMMER AND PALM BEACH >> CAN YOU TOUCH ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE THAT YOU'RE SERVING AND HOW MANY RIDES YOU'VE GIVEN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. WE SERVE. WE REALLY TRY AND CLOSE THAT GAP TO MAKE SURE PRIMARILY PREGNANT WOMEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR POSTPARTUM PERIOD ARE GOING TO PRENATAL CARE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT COMPREHENSIVE PRENATAL CARE REALLY REDUCES THE RATE OF PRE-TERM BIRTH AND AND AND COMPLICATIONS WITH THE MOTHER. SO THAT IS WHAT WE DO. AND SO THOSE THAT POPULATION IS REALLY A LOW INCOME POPULATION OFTEN MINORITIES. THEY EITHER UNINSURED OR UNDER-INSURED. AND WE PARTNER WITH FQ HC SO FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE CENTERS AND SAFETY NET HOSPITALS TO SERVE THOSE PATIENTS AND THEY'RE OFTEN HIGH RISK BECAUSE THEY OFTEN HAVE THINGS LIKE UNTREATED HYPERTENSION, OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES. THEY'VE HAD A DIFFICULT PREGNANCY AND THE PASS. >> AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE GIVEN THOUSANDS OF RIDES. A RIGHT? >> AS OF THIS SUMMER, WE'VE PROVIDED OVER 11,000 THAT'S 1000 RIDES TO OVER 3,000 PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN JUST THESE 3 COUNTIES. AND WE JUST HAVE ONE CAR IN EACH COUNTY. WE KNOW THEY NEED IS HUGE. AND THAT'S A BIG FACTOR IN WOMEN NOT GETTING TO THAT REALLY ESSENTIAL PRENATAL CARE, BUT ALSO CHILDREN WHO HAVE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS LIKE DIABETES OR SICKLE CELL DISEASE IF THEY CAN CONTINUALLY HAVE THIS CHECK IN WITH THEIR FAMILY PHYSICIAN OR A SPECIALIST, THEY CAN AVOID COSTLY AND PAINFUL EMERGENCY ROOM, ADMISSIONS AND AND OTHER ISSUES THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU DON'T GET THAT CONSTANT CARE THAT YOU NEED. >> NOW, HOW DO YOU GET THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND AND THE DRIVERS WHO NEED TO BE QUALIFIED? OBVIOUSLY, TO PROVIDE THIS KIND OF SERVICE TO PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR BABIES. >> YEAH. SO WE PARTNER WITH A REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATION CALLED FREE BE AND THEY ARE IN SOUTH FLORIDA, BUT THEY'RE IN OTHER PARTS OF FLORIDA. AND EVEN IN NORTH CAROLINA, FOR EXAMPLE, AROUND CHARLOTTE. SO THEY ONLY USE ELECTRIC CARS. AND THAT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE WANT IN OUR PROGRAM TODAY BECAUSE WE KNOW AIR POLLUTION CONTRIBUTES TO ABOUT 8 MILLION PREMATURE DEATHS WORLDWIDE EVERY YEAR. AND SO WE KNOW PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO AIR POLLUTION AND THINGS LIKE EXTREME HEAT, WHICH ARE EXACERBATED BY THESE POLLUTANTS THAT GO INTO THE AIR. SO WE ONLY PARTNER WITH THEM BECAUSE THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND THE U.S. IN GENERAL RATES VERY LOW WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER HIGH INCOME NATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH. AND I THINK THAT ANY THRIVING SOCIETY. IT REALLY PUTS THEIR MONEY AND THEIR TIME AND EFFORT BEHIND THE NEXT GENERATION. THAT'S THE MOTHER WHOSE HE'S CARRYING THE CHILD, BUT ALSO THE CHILD AS HE DEVELOPED OR SHE DEVELOPED. SO THANK YOU, CATHERINE TOMS, FOUNDER OF GREEN CARS FOR KIDS. WHAT A GREAT ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU. >> THANKS, JENNIFER. >> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, YOU CAN CHECKOUT THEIR WEBSITE. >> AT GREEN CARS, THE NUMBER 4 KIDS DOT ORG. >> COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, SIZZLE DINING CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY. THE ANNUAL DINING EVENT DOES GOING BIGGER AND THAT INCLUDES EVEN MORE SAVINGS FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDIANS.