SEATTLE, WA - January 15, 2008 Open Arms Perinatal Services, a community non-profit which provides doula services for low-income women, announced today that Sheila Capestany has been hired as Executive Director effective March 3, 2008.

Sheila Capestany comes to this position with a broad range of experience and knowledge in the areas of social justice and public health. She has twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, development, and strategic planning, and holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington. Most recently, Sheila served as Strategic Advisor in Policy, Planning and Evaluation for the City of Seattle Human Services Department. "I am passionate about the mission of Open Arms and thrilled to have the opportunity to move the organization forward at this pivotal time," said Capestany.

Kathy Carson, Parent Child Health Manager, Public Health, Seattle and King County noted "I am pleased that Open Arms has hired a person with so much commitment to women in our community. Sheila not only knows Open Arms' past, but has a clear vision for its future and the skills to make it happen." Capestany replaces Lisa Chin, who will continue to be engaged on the fundraising committee of the board, as well as remaining active in her advocacy efforts on behalf on pregnant women and their families.

Open Arms, headquartered in Seattle, WA, is a community nonprofit agency committed to providing services to childbearing women since 1997. Our mission is to provide services that support, educate, respect, honor and empower women in need and their families throughout the childbearing year.

For more information, contact Sara Thompson.

SEATTLE, WA - April 25, 2008 - Open Arms Perinatal Services is proud to announce that it will offer birth doulas services and a new outreach doula program as part of the integrated home-based services for the White Center Early Learning Initiative (WCELI) - A Thrive Community. WCELI is a partnership of community members and public and private organizations working to create sustainable, integrated and accessible child development and family support services that reflect the diverse cultures, strengths, and needs of White Center families.

Funded by grants from Thrive by Five Washington and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WCELI provides parents, child care and early learning staff, and caregivers with education and support to help ensure that all children in the community begin school ready to succeed. Open Arms will provide prenatal, birth and early postpartum support to families in White Center through birth doula services. In addition, the agency will recruit outreach doulas from within the White Center community to support new families during the first years after birth.

White Center is a diverse community in southern King County. Residents speak over 70 languages and come from a large variety of backgrounds, ethnicities and economic levels with differing strengths and needs. Each culture brings its own traditions and beliefs surrounding birth and the perinatal period. Open Arms is perfectly suited to support such a diverse community through its established history of matching culturally appropriate doulas with families, as well as encouraging and empowering women to support families within their communities. Supporting women at the birth of their children sets the foundation for lifelong advocacy and education.

Open Arms Perinatal Services, headquartered in Seattle, WA, is a community nonprofit agency committed to providing services to childbearing women since 1997. Our mission is to provide services that support, educate, respect, honor and empower women and their families throughout the childbearing year.

For more information, contact Sheila Capestany.