Mission
THE MARIPOSA INITIATIVE IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN NORTH FLORIDA OFFERING INDIVIDUALIZED PATHWAYS FOR YOUNG PARENTS, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE, SHELTER, EDUCATION, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT, ENSURING EACH TRANSFORM INTO A BEAUTIFUL AND MEANINGFUL LIFE OF THEIR CHOICE. OUR MOTIVATION ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC), THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THE NATIONAL BIRTH RATES OF FEMALES AGES 15-19. STILL, THE U.S. HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BIRTH RATES FOR TEEN MOTHERS OF ALL THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (15.4 LIVE BIRTHS PER 1,000). THE CDC ESTIMATED 158,043 LIVE BIRTHS TO TEEN MOTHERS IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2020. THERE ARE SEVERAL SYSTEMIC RISK FACTORS AMONGST TEEN PARENTS, THE MOST COMMON BEING POVERTY. RECORDS FROM 2021 SHOW APPROXIMATELY ONE IN SIX OR 18% OF ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, AGES 10-19, LIVE IN POVERTY. ANOTHER POTENTIAL PRECURSOR IS THE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT LEVELS WITHIN THE HOUSE WHERE TEENS ARE RAISED. EDUCATION IS RELATED TO THE FAMILY'S