COLUMBUS (WCMH) – CelebrateOne and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther hosted an outdoor and socially distanced baby shower for pregnant and new parents Saturday.

The event, held at East High School, was meant to help offer expecting and new mothers more information about resources in Franklin County to have a healthy and safe pregnancy.

Ginther said African American women are 2 ½ times more likely than white women to lose their babies before their first birthday.

CelebrateOne is the community’s effort to address racial disparities and determinants to health to create better birth outcomes and reduce infant mortalities.

“It’s important for so many different reasons,” Ginther said. “We know that better birth outcomes have a direct impact on kindergarten readiness, academic achievement. It all starts prebirth with the health and wellbeing of an expecting mom.”

Ginther said the event is a way to show expecting mothers how important they are to creating brighter futures for the city’s youngest residents.