Today we’d like to introduce you to Noelle Moore.
Hi Noelle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
On August 16, 2013, I lost my daughter Finley at just 23 days old to a medical negligence accident. I left the hospital with overwhelming grief and a lack of direction and available services. I grappled with the heart-wrenching question that so many other mothers face: “What do I do now? Thankfully, I had a strong support network of family, friends, and caring professionals who helped me survive my grief, but realized that not all mothers are fortunate enough to have the resources that were available to myself. My experience inspired the creation of The Finley Project to help ensure that no mother would ever walk this difficult path alone.
In 2014, I founded The Finley Project to address the critical gap in services for mothers who have suffered infant loss. The Finley Project is the only program of its’ kind in the nation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The Finley Project is meeting a critical and otherwise unmet need in our Central Florida community and across the nation.
Doing something no one else is doing has its challenges as the need often outweighs the resources.
I have found it difficult to raise awareness and support at times because losing a child is a person’s worst nightmare – it isn’t an elegant cause to get behind, but the need is great and the HOPE we provide is what is our focus… not the grief. My hope is that the community would see and continue to recognize that The Finley Project is stepping in a. gap that no one else is stepping into as the nation’s only 7-part holistic program.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The death of infant is an unexpected tragedy, but one that happens far too often and has devastating impact on mothers. Beyond the initial crisis as mothers deal with overwhelming grief following the loss, a bereaved mother’s health and well-being is often affected across her lifespan. The well-documented, long-term effects of infant loss includes higher rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, cancer, and other morbidity, and even increased mortality rates. There are inadequate services available both locally and nationally to meet the critical needs of mothers who have suffered infant loss. The Finley Project is working to fill this void. We are the first and only community-based organization in Central Florida providing comprehensive services for mothers dealing with infant loss, and The Finley Project the ONLY organization nationwide utilizing a holistic model to support bereaved mothers.
Our Mission: The Finley Project uses a holistic approach to foster healing for mothers after infant loss.
To achieve our mission, The Finley Project works to meet the following goals:
Goal 1. Improve the short-term and long-term outcomes for mothers who have suffered infant loss.
Goal 2. Increase awareness of infant loss in Central Florida and nationwide.
Goal 3. Help prevent infant loss by educating hospitals and other community partners and advocating for top patient safety and quality outcomes for delivering patients.
Goal 4. Provide opportunities for mothers who have suffered infant loss to give back and support other mothers.
To meet the complex needs of bereaved mothers, The Finley Project has developed a holistic support model for our mothers. Our unique multi-component program has been designed to meet the practical as well as the emotional needs of mothers. Each mother is assigned a specially trained volunteer Support Coordinator, who provides social and emotional support and helps guide mothers through our program components. Our holistic model also includes proven intervention strategies (counseling, support groups, and massage therapy) that have demonstrated a positive impact on bereaved mothers. One of the unique aspects of our model is the integration of practical supports such as help with funeral arrangements, meal gift cards, and house cleaning services. Mothers often identify these as some of their most pressing needs; when these needs are not met, they can become a barrier to participation in other interventions. All of our program components work together to increase mothers’ perceived social support, which has been identified as a key factor that supports better outcomes for mothers. Healing is a process that takes time, so The Finley Project also continues to provide support to mothers for five years after they complete our initial program.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Playing basketball with my dad
Pricing:
- 1500 to support one mother in The Finley Project program
Contact Info:
- Email: noelle.moore@thefinleyproject.org
- Website: www.thefinleyproject.org
- Instagram: thefinleyproject
