The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
“It takes a village.” Whether your village is the family that you’re born with or one you build, life is easier when you are surrounded by love and support. Stephanie Stephenson is helping to build villages for her family, friends, and the women and mothers of Vermilion County.
Stephanie is not originally from Vermilion County, and her family moved to Bismarck when she was in junior high. Being the cheerleader she is, Stephanie works every day to encourage those in her village. The woman who nominated Stephanie made sure we knew this, “Steph is the epitome of joy. When I see her, I feel seen, heard, and more loved than ever.” Once Steph graduated from Bismarck Henning High school, (Go Blue Devils!), she went on to Olivet Nazarene University for Child Psychology. It was there that she realized she had more of a passion for nurturing mothers. She says, “I want to be able to support women while they go through something amazing.” Stephanie has had three children, and all have been different experiences, but she always felt supported and had enjoyable births with all of them.
Because Stephanie has this passion for helping women, she has become a birth doula, and her role is to make mom as comfortable as possible with the best and safest birth plan. Whether it’s at home or at the hospital, Stephanie will be there with full support! She also coordinates the “Bridges” program at the Women’s Care Clinic in Danville and has been at it for seven years. The program is for all mothers who are expecting or already blessed with their little ones. “It is a group that supports each other and helps educate one another.” She has recently helped create and fundraise for the Danville Birth Project, a nonprofit that will assist mothers in getting the support and care they need. The Danville Birth Project will provide education to help others understand that birth and having children isn’t terrifying. “We are trying to erase the stigma behind giving birth and make it a magical experience for the mothers.”
Stephanie first got the taste for helping mothers during her senior project at Olivet. Her group had decided to work at a pregnancy center. She then came back to Danville and started working for Community Action and that is when she found a passion for helping mothers. “Helping the children was amazing but connecting with the mothers and seeing them succeed was what really started the passion,” Stephanie shared. She loves to see moms and their families thriving.
Stephanie is so grateful for her village and her family here in Danville. When they drive through Downtown her kids say, “Look! It’s our city!” Steph says, “I love that Danville has become home for them.” Without the support of her husband, Caleb, Stephanie would not be in the place she is. She says, “He has such a great heart and is doing something so amazing.” Stephanie’s husband is a new Danville Police Officer, and she knows that with his heart, he will make a great one. “He is doing it for the right reasons. We just want to see the community be a better place for everyone.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
