Carteret Mother's Care Project

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church earns $10,000 grant

Through its Faith in Rural Communities “Connect Church” initiative, the NC Rural Center recently awarded a $10,000 community development grant to St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Morehead City. Dr. Darren Crotts of the NC Rural Center was the facilitator who worked with the St. Peter’s

consort team throughout the nine-month process in 2023. “The objective of the cohort-based learning program is to “prepare rural churches across North Carolina to leverage their unique gifts as they engage in meaningful community collaboration,” Dr. Crotts added. “As a 2023 participant, St. Peter’s United Methodist Church represents a shining example of effectiveness. It has been a privilege to walk alongside Pastor Karl Zorowski and the entire St.

Peter’s team.  We look forward to the positive impacts that they will inspire in the community,”

Here is the text of a News Release that was issued by St. Peter’s:

News Release

Contact: Bill Douglass or Julie Martinez

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church Office 252-726-2175

email address: CarteretMothersCareProject@gmail.com

March 5, 2024

In Morehead City, St. Peter’s United Methodist Church has joined a collaboration with Carteret Ob-Gyn and Martha’s Mission to “address prenatal mother food insecurity and help reduce infant mortality in Carteret County.” The origins of the collaboration that is today known as Carteret Mother’s Care Project come from the Maternal Outreach Through Telehealth for Rural Sites (MOTHeRS) Project, which was established in 2020 with an investment from United Health Foundation (UHF). The participating entities then included ECU Physicians’ Departments of OBGYN, Psychiatry and Family Medicine as well as the Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health. The goal was to address the barriers and challenges to healthcare and improve health outcomes for

mothers and babies.  In the beginning, the majority of patients were from Carteret Ob-Gyn Associates in Morehead City, and as time went on, the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) became the principal funder for the MOTHERS Project.

The Carteret Mother’s Care Project will continue to deliver prenatal medical and wellness services using lessons learned from the MOTHERS Project. The Carteret Mother’s Care Project goals remain the same, “Improving prenatal mother’s and newborn’s health through nutrition.” St. Peter’s United Methodist Church is now helping with funds from a $10,000 grant from the NC Rural Center. These funds are being used to increase Martha’s Mission’s operation capacity, allowing volunteers to serve prenatal food-insecure mothers in addition to providing their current community food pantry services. Bill Douglass is the head of the St. Peter’s “Connect Church Team.” He said church members were looking for a way to help in the community. “Our mission," Mr. Douglass says, “was to carefully and critically identify an appropriate outreach project that both addressed a well-documented community need and capitalized on the passion, skills, talents and assets of the congregation.”

Since 2021, 517 nutritional food bags have been distributed by Carteret Ob-Gyn, and the staff is looking to grow the program in 2024. Franklin Walker of NCMS approached Martha’s Mission about becoming a second point of distribution this year and Martha’s Mission said yes. “This means that the Carteret Mother’s Care Project will be even more successful in 2024,” Mr. Walker said.

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church is on Hodges Street in Morehead City. It was formed in 1962 and has more than 400 members. Martha’s Mission Cupboard in Morehead City was organized as a food pantry in 1979. It serves needy citizens of Carteret County by providing nutritious and balanced food at no cost. Carteret Ob-Gyn Associates is based in Morehead City and has served Carteret County since 1977.

The North Carolina Medical Society is the leading organization representing physicians and PAs in the state. NCMS was founded in 1849 and is actively engaged in legislative and regulatory matters impacting its members. The NC Rural Center was formed in 1987 to develop, promote and implement economic strategies to improve the quality of life in 78 of the state’s 100 counties.