For All Mothers+ Grants Support Team USA Mothers at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Championships
Four powerhouse mothers are headed to Lake Placid for the IBSF World Championships (March 6-16) with support provided by For All Mothers+’s Childcare Grants Program, designed to help athletes offset the financial and logistical burden incurred from the motherhood penalty — the phenomenon by which women face economic, social, and health disadvantages after becoming mothers.
Congratulations to our grant recipients:
Elana Meyers Taylor, the most decorated Black athlete in the Winter Olympics, & mother of Noah and Nico (ages 2 and 5)
Jasmine Jones & mother of Jade (3 years)
Kallie Armbruster & mother of Aulden (8 months and nursing)
Kelly Curtis & mother of Maeve (18 months)
The Childcare Grants represent For All Mothers+’s commitment to breaking barriers for mothers in sports by ensuring that childcare responsibilities do not limit a mother’s ability to compete at the highest level. It serves as a temporary stopgap while we continue our work to create lasting solutions in partnership with governing bodies and player associations.
Without financial assistance, these athletes would have to shoulder the psychological strain and immense financial burden of paying for a caretaker’s travel and accommodations for the 10-day duration of the championships. Or worse, they would be forced to leave their greatest competitive advantage, their “why,” at home. We believe mothers should be able to “Bring the Babies.”
Family support is how we keep Team USA’s greatest talent in professional sports so that their ongoing athletic success can be the throughline we see as they continue their motherhood journey. These are the stories that shift the narrative away from the negative stereotype that women’s bodies are “broken” postpartum and are no longer worth investing in as athletes. These are the stories that will inspire the next generation of great female athletes, knowing that they will have the support they need when/if they decide to start or expand their families. Showcasing the best athletes in the world as their whole selves is what drives people to watch and grow the industry of women’s sports.
Good luck to mamas Elana, Jasmine, Kallie, and Kelly as they take the world stage this weekend! We look forward to sharing stories of their experiences at the event, which will contribute to the development of our Maternal and Family Support Standardization Playbook for Sliding Sports.