SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A San Diego Midwife is living her dream of opening her own birth center, helping minority women.
We met Nikki Helms in July when her GoFundMe was off the charts, raising more than $121,000.
She had been a licensed midwife for about a year and wanted to open a birth center. Fast forward to December and her dream is coming true.
"We've got signage and I stood at the foot of my stairs and cried about that," Helms said filled with gratitude.
The community has continued to wrap their arms around her mission.
"It's really just been amazing and overwhelming, and I feel so blessed," she said wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "And so grateful and I get teared up every time I start talking about it because it gives me the opportunity to go care for families and you know it just blows my mind."
Since July she's raised another $13,000 and packages keep arriving on her doorstep with items for the birth center.
Her mission is to support women through childbirth and beyond.
Recent studies show Black women in the U.S. have disproportionately higher rates of mortality and harm during delivery.
"I had heard about different women who had had these experiences where they asked for help and they weren't listened to," Helms said.
She hopes to have her first patients in the center in January.
During the pandemic she's caring for families in their homes as safely as possible.
"I am most grateful for my own health which gives me the opportunity to go out and help other people," she said.
Helms said she has been honored with a Champion of Reproductive Health Award by the San Diego Coalition for Reproductive Justice for the work she is doing.
If you would like to support the San Diego Community Birth Center: click here for herAmazon Wish List or here for her GoFundMe.
Helms said she is working to get her programs and services accepted by insurance.
Helms is partnering with San Diego Co-Harvest to grow a garden around the birth center to feed families in need.
When asked what she hopes for in the future, she replied "abundance." She hopes both the garden and families she works with are filled with joy and good health.
