March 2024

Dear KBC Members,

It is nice to be with you again.  I am grateful for the opportunity to communicate with you again. How are you? How was your February? I hope and trust it was a good one for you all.



February was a busy month around the KBC.  You can read all about it in the rest of the Milk Messenger and if you keep up with our social media. Psst … I am not on social media! 🙂 Anyway, one of the things the KBC Board is working on is starting on the journey towards being an anti-racist organization. Yes. That is as big a deal as it might sound to you.

Read the full message

2024 Mini-Grants OPEN! Eligible local breastfeeding coalitions in Kansas are invited to submit proposals for up to $2,000 to fund activities improving breastfeeding rates. Proposals must be submitted through the online application by 5:00 PM on May 1, 2024. Details are in the Request for Proposal HERE. Sample application HERE. 

Partial funding for 2024 Mini-Grants comes from

First Spanish-language Skills Day! This full-day training was held in Dodge City on Feb. 3, 2024. Attendees had either completed or are working to complete a 53-hour Spanish-language course to obtain their “Certified Breastfeeding Specialist” certification. Thank you to Carmen Valverde for organizing the event and to Lactation Education Resources for providing Monica Esparza as the instructor. Thank you to the 9 students and three skills station instructors. Funded by National Association of City and County Health Officials.

• Riley County Health Department earned the “Breastfeeding Friendly Local Health Department” designation. They are the 11th local health department to receive this designation. For more information about this designation, click here.
• Talbert Daycare in Overland Park for earning the “Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Provider” designation from Child Care Aware of Kansas. For more information about the designation and resources for child care providers, click here.
• Gold “Breastfeeding Employee Support Award” winners:
• University of Kansas Medical Center
• Healthy Families, Kansas Children’s Service League - Great Bend

For more information about this designation for employers, click here.

Looking for more breastfeeding news and resources from the national level? Sign up for U.S. Breastfeeding Committee's communication list and be the first to know.

Coming Soon! In alignment with the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition’s commitment to addressing disparities in breastfeeding, the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition is pleased to announce a funding program to support aspiring lactation support providers. Click here for more information and to join the list for updates..

Get ready for the next emPOWER Talk

May 10th: Supporting Breastfeeding Workers:

Panelists:

• Makala Navarro – Human Resource Professional
• Jessica Lee – Center for WorkLife Law
• Jessica Goodman – Finney County Health Dept.
• Trini Murguia – Wage & Hour Division, U.S. Dept. of Labor

Where We’ve Been:

• Presented Family Friend Workplaces to the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Feb. 13, Kansas City, KS
• Testified in support of the “Nursery Program for Incarcerated Moms” bill (SB 489) on Feb. 19.
• Presented “Pregnant and Breastfeeding Workers Rights” at the Employment Law, Employee Benefits conference hosted by the Kansas Society of Human Resource Management, also with the U.S. Dept. of Labor Wage & Hour Division of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Feb. 21, Topeka, KS
• Exhibited at the Governor’s Public Health Conference, March 4-5, Wichita, KS

Teresa Tuchscherer, Abriona Markham, Brenda Bandy, Senator Kristen O’Shea, Dani Essman, Kathy Damron

Where We’re Going:

• Early Learning Advocacy Day at the Capitol, March 6, Topeka, KS
• Exhibiting at Kansas Cancer Partnership Conference, March 7, Wichita, KS
• Presenting Family Friendly Workplaces: PUMP Act & PWFA, Southeast Kansas Human Resource Association, March 21, Independence, KS 
• Regional Hospital Lactation Skills Fairs, April 2-11, Topeka, Hays, Wichita, and Dodge City
• Working Well Conference, Health & Wellness Coalition of Wichita, April 11, Wichita, KS
• Synergy in Kansas: The Story of a State MCH Agency & a State and Local Breastfeeding Coalition, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs annual conference, April 16, Oakland, CA
• Exhibiting at the Kansas Association of Infant & Young Child Mental Health Conference, April 18-19, Overland Park
• Exhibiting at the Kansas Parents as Teachers Association Conference, April 23-24, Salina
• Family Friendly Workplaces, Hays Society of Human Resource Management, May 8, Hays, KS

Like what you read? Please consider making a donation to support the continued work of the KBC.

Suggestions for future publications are welcome at info@ksbreastfeeding.org.

Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition

ksbreastfeeding.org