What are coalitions doing with their funding?

Northland Breastfeeding Coalition

By Laura Greensmith

The Northland Breastfeeding Coalition was honored to be the recipient of a MBFC seed money grant this past year. We were very fortunate that the proposal we had written was still able to be carried out safely despite the realities of Covid 19. We wanted to invest our money in the community in a way that would continue to have a ripple effect in the years to come, so we decided to purchase books for local libraries. We conducted an assessment of which books were already available and our coalition came up with ideas for additional books to supplement existing collections. We felt it important to both include reference books for nursing mothers and children’s books which normalize breastfeeding. We have a consortium of libraries in Northern MN who work together to exchange books among locations and mail books to patrons in rural areas, so our donations were able to have an even greater reach. In addition, we donated to our local Early Childhood Family Education program as they have a system of loaning out books to the families they serve. We also included educational materials and a local lactation resource list with the books as well. We would again like to express our gratitude to the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition for giving a gift to families in our area that will last for generations to come!

             

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Twin Cities Regional Breastfeeding Coalition

By TC Regional Breastfeeding Coalition

Henry Sibley High School is in Mendota Heights, MN. A TCRBC coalition and Schools Action Team member connected with a friend who was a wellness coach at the school, sharing the coalition’s goals to support lactation within schools.  It happened to be that the school had identified a need to have a lactation space and were very interested in getting information and resources for making this need come to fruition. Using the Seed Money Project funding, Henry Sibley High was awarded $800 along with technical guidance from members of TCRBC Schools Action Team. TCRBC members provided a toolkit that the coalition created specifically for schools which included a list of items needed to create a welcoming lactation room and sample lactation policy languages.

The $800 was used to purchase:

Although the pandemic slowed down the progress of this project, the room was completed in time for school staff to use when they are in the building planning their lessons. The room is available to all school staff and visiting professionals. The timing could not have been better as the school was going through major renovations. The principal of Henry Sibley High was willing and able to match the Seed Money Project funding and more. Structural renovations were made in the designated lactation space to make it more functional. A door was relocated and a sink with storage was installed.

       

       

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South Central MN Breastfeeding coalition

By Arlin Penner

In 2019, the South Central Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition (SCMBC) set three goals for 2020: 1) Provide breastfeeding education; 2) Increase awareness of SCMBC; 3) Recruit new coalition members. The seed money grant was applied for and received to help us achieve these outcomes. Like for so many, 2020 brought unforeseen challenges that upended plans for in-person gatherings and networking events. COVID-19 pulled many members into new responsibilities as local health departments required assistance to help with the COVID-19 response. Determined to still make progress on our goals, SCMBC got to work on putting together a virtual event. On Thursday, November 19, 2020, a Facebook live event was held which included topics related to breastfeeding during a pandemic, breastfeeding and COVID-19, and managing holiday gatherings while breastfeeding. SCMBC Coalition members Patti Kasper, IBCLC, Kylie Saari, CLC, and Caroline McCourt presented and answered questions. The event reached 542 people, 140 engagements, 25 comments, 11 likes and 6 shares. With the MBC seed money, we were able to hire a marketing consultant to enhance our online presence, grow followers, develop educational content, and promote the online event. The seed money was also used to purchase a table cloth with the coalition logo and “giveaways” for events both past and future.

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Quin County CHS Breastfeeding Coalition

By Connie Hagen

The Quin County CHS Breastfeeding Coalition was awarded a seed money grant from the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition for our Breastfeed Anytime Anywhere project.  Our coalition had discussed using the Michigan project model "Breastfeed Anytime Anywhere" as a way to bring about a supportive breastfeeding culture throughout the communities in our five counties, starting with increased community support for breastfeeding mothers in the larger town of Thief River Falls in Pennington county. The plan, to start out using a connection with the Chamber of Commerce in the town for a list of worksites and connect with Human Services for list of childcare sites, coordinating with the current SHIP staff regarding their work. Then make contact and assess the sites and their needs providing an opportunity to sign a pledge of support, offering information on Minnesota law, assistance with setting up lactation rooms and offering marketing by supplying window clings, door hangers and breastfeeding resources for their breastfeeding employees, parents and the public.

 

Unfortunately our work was to get underway just as the Covid-19 situation began.  Contact was made with the Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce and with the Thief River Falls businesses and with childcare providers.  Materials were developed for a toolkit to supply for businesses that sign the Breastfeed Anytime Anywhere pledge. Outreach materials were ordered and received.

 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Thief River Falls library was closed, so a planned display was delayed. Other events we had planned to attend to promote awareness to the public for the Breastfeed Anytime Anywhere project, such as the Pennington county fair and Night to Unite were cancelled. We were able to supply a small item for the swag bags that were given out by the Chamber of Commerce for Crazy Days in downtown Thief River Falls. The Breastfeed Anytime Anywhere project was shared with local newspapers, The Thief River Falls Times, The Oklee Herald, and The Red Lake Falls Gazette, as well as the Inter-County Nursing Service monthly wellness newsletter during August, for Breastfeeding Awareness month. Also for Breastfeeding Awareness month, I had scheduled with the Executive Director of the Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce, to hold a virtual lunch and learn for the Chamber members on August 6, to follow with placement of the letter to businesses on the Chamber website and in their newsletter.  A power point presentation was created for this event. However, the Executive Director postponed the virtual lunch and learn twice and then he resigned his position with no replacement at the time, unable to hold the presentation.  He did post my letter on the Chamber website and placed a post on their FaceBook page.

 

Since our outreach activities for the community in Thief River Falls have been on hold, we now plan to begin again as things open up from the Covid-19 restrictions.  We used our budget to purchase Items for outreach activities when allowed for us to be present at community events.  The Chamber of Commerce has a new director who is contacting the board regarding promotion of our project. Since emails to local businesses and childcare providers had little response, the plan is now to make phone calls with hope of a better response. We plan to provide information at the county fair and other events, currently planned to be held this summer.

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Polk County Breastfeeding Coalition

By Tammy Conn

Polk County Breastfeeding Coalition was one of the lucky recipients to receive our full funding request of $1196.50.  We had three projects ear marked for these funds…then COVID 19 delayed and changed our plans but we were able to continue with some modifications.  

Our first project is ongoing, we requested funds to purchase “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” window clings.  Those were ordered and arrived from the printers, the day our office closed at Polk County Public Health in March 2020.   Earlier, the Polk County Breastfeeding Coalition (PCBC) had created an “Anytime, Anywhere Initiative” to increase awareness for public acceptance of breastfeeding by engaging area businesses, and community entities, to sign a pledge supporting breastfeeding mothers throughout their establishment.   Participating merchants agree to educate their staff about the public breastfeeding law, how to welcome breastfeeding families positively, and “Breastfeeding Welcome here” window clings are hung in support of the initiative.  Our goal was to have at least one window cling and signed pledge in each of the larger cities in Polk County.   The scope of the COVID 19 Pandemic with local businesses in lock down, with coalition member’s work functions changing, and with remote working, this was a challenging project to complete.  We tried mailing, emailing and calling, to share about the “Anytime, Anywhere Initiative” with little success.  Our project is still alive and we will share the “Anytime, Anywhere Initiative” at the two Rock and Rest Breastfeeding Tents, at the Polk County Fair this July with hopes to have families identify, and nominate, businesses they wish to see display the “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” window cling.  

Our second project was achieved by purchasing Human Milk Storage Guideline Magnets to be dispersed within the County.  Both local hospitals, public health, therapy centers, and some child care homes have received these and are delighted to share with their clients/families.  

Finally, our third project ended with a new goal, and is still on going.  We had hopes to share the MDH Breastfeeding Friendly Family Child Care-Home application information, and provide assistance to the local child care association during their April 2020 annual meeting.  Needless to say, that meeting was not held and is still not rescheduled at this time.  Our ultimate goal is to have at least one home child care in Polk County apply, and earn, the designation from MDH, as a Breastfeeding Friendly Family Child Care-Home.  We are happy to report, one family home child care is soon ready to submit her application.   The original plan was to partially fund the food for the annual meeting.  Instead, funds were used to purchase breastfeeding children’s books, and stuffed nursing animal toys for incentives for current and future child cares to apply, also some for mileage to present the incentives, along with obtain photos for a press release.   

In conclusion, we had three solid projects that required extra time and recreation to accomplish due to the pandemic.  They will all be ongoing which is good, because more work needs to be done.  We were very fortunate and so thankful to the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition for their guidance, trust and money! Thank you!

  

(window cling & magnet)