New Moms
Melanie Garrett, LCSW, has over 18 years of experience in the social work field. Melanie began their career in 2001 as a Healthy Start Manager at Henry Booth House. In 2003, they became a Social Worker at Mt. Sinai Hospital. In 2004, they were hired as a Social Worker III at the University of Chicago Medicine, where they were a Pediatric Social Work Co-Team Leader and a member of the Child Protective Services Team. Melanie also wrote grants for pediatric resources and chaired the Professional Practice Committee. In 2011, they were hired as an Illinois Early Childhood Fellow at HealthConnect One, where they engaged in various advocacy and leadership activities. In 2013, they became Program Director at New Moms, Inc. and in 2017 they were promoted to Chief Program Officer.
Melanie Garrett, LCSW, she/her, has a diverse educational background. Melanie obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art Melanie'story from Lafayette College between 1991 and 1995. Melanie then went on to pursue a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Social Work from the University of Chicago Social Service School of Administration, which they completed between 2009 and 2011. Finally, they obtained an Infant Mental Health Certificate from the Erikson Institute in 2012.
New Moms
New Moms’ mission is to strengthen families by partnering with young moms as they progress toward housing stability, economic mobility, and family well-being. We believe in the strength, skills, and potential of all families and communities to pursue and achieve their goals, and envision a future where every young family thrives. At New Moms, young moms, 24 and under, take powerful first steps toward economic mobility and family well-being. Their 2-Generation approach puts families experiencing poverty in control of their goals and unleashes their potential. They partner with families to construct the foundation of well-being by strengthening core life skills, incorporating early childhood development supports, building pathways to and preparation for education and employment, and expanding positive social networks and access to community resources.