Waltons Pledged $100 Million for Maternal Health
The new Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America initiative aims to expand the maternal health workforce in Arkansas and Kansas.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Pregnancy
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Olivia and Tom Walton have launched a $100 million nonprofit campaign to address maternal mortality gaps. The Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America foundation will direct $10 million in grants specifically to Arkansas and Kansas to support maternal care improvements.
Why it matters
The initiative seeks to narrow disparities in maternal care where maternal mortality rates for Black and brown women are three times the national average. It focuses on bolstering the workforce, including midwives and doulas, to help families navigate postpartum care gaps.
The foundation has allocated $10 million each to Arkansas and Kansas, states where maternal health outcomes trail national benchmarks. The funding aims to mitigate projected worsening of conditions in 2027 linked to Medicaid cuts and changes in medical billing.
The players
Olivia and Tom Walton
Philanthropists and members of the retail-dynasty family who have pledged $100 million toward improving national maternal health outcomes.
Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America
A newly launched nonprofit foundation focused on advocacy, workforce expansion, and grant-making to reduce maternal mortality.
The details
The campaign uses a combination of advocacy, storytelling, and coalition-building to strengthen the maternal health infrastructure. A core component involves catalytic grant-making to expand the number of midwives and doulas available to new parents. These efforts target systemic care gaps that the founders identified through personal experience.
Timeline
2020: Olivia Walton encountered personal gaps in postpartum care.
October 12, 2026: The foundation campaign was officially announced.
2027: Maternal health conditions may worsen due to anticipated policy shifts.
The Home Front
This initiative arrives as households face a tightening landscape for maternal care, exacerbated by impending Medicaid funding cuts and medical billing shifts. The effort highlights the increasing reliance on private philanthropy to sustain essential care infrastructure across vulnerable states.
If you are expecting, research the current coverage status of your health insurance policy regarding midwives and doulas in anticipation of potential billing changes. Families should verify if their local care providers will continue to accept current Medicaid billing codes through 2027.
The takeaway
Private maternal health initiatives are increasingly filling gaps left by shifting Medicaid policies and rising mortality rates. Expectant parents should proactively review their insurance coverage for doula and midwifery services to navigate potential changes in billing and provider access.
Further reading
For more on managing medical care during your family’s journey, explore our Pregnancy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fortune.
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