Hi, everyone...it's my first time posting to LACNET, though I've been on
about a year reading and reading and reading!  The coalition project
mentioned by Cindy Curtis sparked my attention and I want to respond.

My name in Jennifer Highland, MPH, RN, CHES.  I've been involved for almost
5 years in breastfeeding promotion activities nationally and locally,
through my work at Best Start Social Marketing in Tampa, and my local
Breastfeeding Advocates of Sarasota County (FL) group.  I also teach
childbirth education classes at a local hospital.

Cindy, your coalition project sounds great.  There is always a need to do
exactly what you're planning.  The method you've chosen should work very
well (because that's the way the "competition" does it!).  I'm just
jealous....where did you get the funding to feed and pamper the docs and
office staff, and give them Hale's reference book?  Our advocacy group is so
poor!

Our group recently celebrated its 5th birthday.  During the years, we've
done a variety of things.  Currently, we offer annual bf educational
programs for nurses, conduct community bf awareness campaigns during World
BF Week, and publish two different newsletters, an annual one for the
public, and a quarterly one for maternal-child hcp's.  And all this on a
measly couple of hundred dollars a year!  We've been minimally successful in
receiving funds from the outside.  But, that's about to change!  We are
submitting our Articles of Incorporation to the state of Florida in hopes of
becoming a real non-profit organization, then go on to get our 501 (c) 3,
which will position us to receive
funding from various sources.  Then we want to do exactly what your group is
doing!  Good Luck!  And if anyone out there knows of a breastfeeding
advocacy group or coalition that has experience with becoming incorporated,
let me know please.

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