Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Schneider.
Maggie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Maggie Schneider (they/them) and I am a multidisciplinary professional living and working in Baltimore, MD. I am a solo/only parent to an amazing 3 year old and this year, I started a business; Care Task Doula. The lightbulb moment for starting this business happened in April/May 2024, while I navigated a mental health crisis and continued to care for my family. I needed a lot of support. I keep seeing social media posts from people in the queer, disabled, and parent communities who need support. People need support!! And I have a lot experience being and doing supportive work and value the well being of my community. Becoming Care Task Doula was a matter of taking a few steps back and realizing who I am.
Care Task Doula, established June 2024, has been consistently busy since launching. The range of support tasks I’ve completed range from purge & reorganize home/garage/basement, sort and pack for a move, ongoing domestic/cleaning support for recurring clients, weed/poison ivy removal, general maintenance & painting, art installation, holiday cleaning prep, build pre-fab furniture, consult on full room functionality concepts, toy sort & organize, and selective childcare. Every job comes with non-judgmental & emotional support.
I am excited for Care Task Doula in 2025. More connection to people, more support given (and received), and more compassion for humans.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The entirety of 2024 has been deeply challenging for me as a person, professional, and parent. My biggest struggles have been financial and mental health related. The immediate parent and friend support I have configured around my family has contributed greatly to our survival.
As you know, we’re big fans of Care Task Doula. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Care Task Doula is an in-person service offering skilled support for people going through various life transitions. My creative services (art handling, creative project management, and quilt commissions) are available under Art For Handling.
The work I do is hard to categorize as it’s a little bit of everything. What sets me apart is that emotional labor and collaboration are core to the success of my work. I am not here to “fix” people or their homes, I am here to make life a little more bearable by doing what I do, take care of people.
My favorite gigs include spatial & physical organization projects, installing artwork & photographs in private homes, and nesting projects.
What are your plans for the future?
My main goal for 2025 is to transition fully away from childcare jobs (my current income baseline) by June 2025. I’d like to network with more small business owners, especially folks in the creative industries. Finding ways to make my services more accessible is an immediate and long term goal.
In the future, Care Task Doula has the potential to initiate a network of collaborative and complimentary service providers. This would be for peer mutual support and establish cross-collaborative projects for broader community impact.
Pricing:
- $50/hr for Care Task Doula services
- $65/hr for Art For Handling services
Contact Info:
- Website: www.caretaskdoula.com
- Instagram: @artforhandling + @caretaskdoula
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caretaskdoula.
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggieschneider/
