• Empathy - We lead with empathy. Everything we do comes from the heart. Our goal is to wrap the pregnant after loss (PAL) mama in a blanket of loving kindness, respect, and non-judgmental understanding and validation that this journey is hard.

• Support - We are courageous PAL mamas offering other courageous PAL mamas peer-to-peer support. The backbone of what we do is based on a mutual support model that empowers all PAL mamas to lean on each other during this difficult time, either through writing, peer groups, or advocacy efforts.

• Inclusive - We do not define losses, compare them, or judge whose loss or PAL journey is more difficult than another. We include anyone who has had a loss and makes the courageous act of considering the journey of pregnancy and parenting again after a previous loss at any stage or age.

• Acknowledging Grief - At PALS we do not forget why this subsequent pregnancy is so challenging. We honor our children who have died, as well as other losses that accompany losing a child. We acknowledge our grief, attend to it, and nurture it, as we would the child we have lost.

• Nurture - We believe that nurturing each other and ourselves is of utmost importance as we walk the road of grief and joy after loss while trying for and carrying new life inside of us.

• Embracing Fear - As a courageous PAL mama, we choose to embrace our fears that come with trying to create life again. We don’t hide from them or ignore them. We look fear right in the face and declare, “Today you will not win!”

• Hope - At PALS we will hold onto hope for you if it’s too hard for you to do right now. We believe hope is what gets the PAL mama through each difficult day of this journey. Hope is what we provide for other courageous PAL mamas. Hope is what other courageous PAL mamas provide us.

• Quality - At PALS we strive to provide quality writing, programming, and evidence-based information for our community.

• Mindfulness - When we are offering support to others we are mindful of our own needs and self care as we create, take, and give to others who are also need their place, space, and time within PALS groups and community. We practice mindfulness in our own lives to foster peace and calm through the challenging pregnancy after loss journey.

• Boundaries and Limits - At PALS we believe in having and maintaining effective emotional and relationship boundaries with peers. As we provide support to others it’s important to know our own limits. Enforcing our own boundaries in relationships when helping others, along with practicing adequate self-care, helps us help others.

I understand and agree that submitting this application form does not automatically register me as a PALS volunteer, and that there may be certain qualifications I must meet, including the acceptance of the following established volunteer policies and procedures before I may begin volunteering.

Code of Conduct: I desire to serve as a volunteer with the PALS (the “Foundation”) and help further its stated mission. As a volunteer, I understand that I may be exposed to confidential information that is defined as inside, personal or sensitive information, and may include contact information, health information, or personal experience stories. By agreeing to this Code of Conduct, I am prohibited from sharing or disclosing this information for any unauthorized purpose, including personal benefit. I also understand that I must disclose any of my outside interests that may be in conflict or competition with the interests of the Foundation or that stand to benefit from my involvement therewith, and then refrain from participating in any discussions pertaining to those conflicts. I understand that the Foundation is not financially or otherwise liable for injury or casualties that occur to anyone while serving as a volunteer for the Foundation. I hereby grant the Foundation specific permission to reproduce, publish, circulate, copyright, or otherwise use any and all photographs and/ or videotape of me and/or my family taken at any volunteer event, for use by the Foundation.

CODE OF CONDUCT CERTIFICATION AND DISCLOSURE By selecting the "I agree" check box, I certify that I have read and understand the PALS' Code of Conduct. I also understand that should I not maintain the conduct outlined above, the Foundation reserves the right to terminate my voluntary position immediately. I also have the right to step down from my volunteer position at any time.