13
2026
In a decades-long career as an obstetrician, Oge Young, MD recalls witnessing young couples uttering 
“finally, it’s over” after the delivery of their child. But Young would whisper, “It’s just beginning.”
When The Family Place opened 15 years into his practice, Young recognized that as welcoming as the space 
was to new families, the journey did not end when parents went home with their babies. 
“As beautiful and inviting as these surroundings were,” Young says, “it occurred to me that a healthy, happy 
birth experience would mean little if we didn’t care for the mom and baby when they left our hospital.”
Soon after sharing those thoughts with others at Concord Hospital, Young founded the Healthy Beginnings 
Endowment (HBE), a fund dedicated to supporting new mothers and their families beyond the birthing 
suite. Launched in 1996, Healthy Beginnings was based on Young’s core philosophy that “the first few years 
of life last forever.” The goal of the Endowment is to back programs that provide support and education 
for new parents. In its initial six months, the Endowment raised $700,000 through major contributions 
from the Women’s Auxiliary and Healthsource, an insurance company. Additional substantial gifts came 
from physicians and community members who understood the importance of early childhood bonding in 
developing healthy adults.
The Endowment’s inaugural program, “Baby Steps,” invited postpartum moms to return to the hospital 
with their babies for support and encouragement with a nurse facilitator. In addition, HBE funds “Baby’s 
First Homecoming,” through which visiting nurses see new mothers at home to check in and give them 
the chance to ask questions. HBE also provides annual funding to the Concord School District for after-
school programs for toddlers and parents, focusing on “Positive Solutions,” a parenting approach that turns 
disciplinary moments into learning opportunities. The Endowment also backs programs ranging from 
parent and grandparent education to addressing needs of families experiencing homelessness. 
Now retired from practice, Young continues to chair the HBE Advisory Board and remains committed to the 
ideal that early childhood investment translates to a healthier community.
“If we can create a child with good self-esteem and a sense of self-worth,” Young explains, “we’re going to 
have an adult that not only is physically healthier but also loves and cares deeply.”
In 2025, Young was presented by the New Hampshire Medical Society with a Lifetime Achievement Award. 
The honor recognized his work as an OB/GYN, his impact through HBE, his longtime teaching of Dartmouth 
medical students at Concord Hospital, and his advocacy for New Hampshire women and their families. 
“As physicians, our lives are filled with caring, wondrous moments, connecting us deeply with others,” he 
says. “For me, that’s the real meaning of a lifetime of achievement.”
As HBE celebrates its 30th anniversary, the fund is now up to $1.8 million and has awarded 232 grants worth 
$1.4 million. In the 30 years since The Family Place opened, a generation of babies has 
been born there.
“The goal for this ‘generational’ anniversary of Healthy Beginnings,” Young 
shares, “is for us to reach $2 million. The Endowment would then provide 
$100,000 in grants annually to programs that make for healthier parents, 
children, and another generation of healthy adults. It all starts in the beginning.”
TRUST PROFILE    |     
Celebrating Healthy Beginnings  

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.