I love that I can learn about things in my own state from people who don't 
live here but who post articles to Lactnet! Thanks Janice Reynolds for 
posting about the Everett Food Bank (see end of post).

When I read your post, it occurred to me that this is an opportunity to 
work with a community organization and provide information about 
breastfeeding. 

I called the Everett Food Bank and spoke to the Assistant Director. She 
clarified that they don't really need formula, they are in greater need of 
infant cereal and jarred food. 

I asked her if they had information about WIC (as WithinReach (formerly 
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies) is the WIC information line for the state 
and does much of the marketing for the WIC program including creating WIC 
flyers in numerous languages). To see the flyers: 
http://www.withinreachwa.org/forprof/materials/wic_flyers.htm 

She said they do have WIC info including the flyers and they could use more 
(so I took her order over the phone).  I also asked if they have 
breastfeeding information or information about the importance of delaying 
solids until 6 months. She said no and was surprised to hear about delaying 
complimentary foods for 6 months. She stated that they have clients who 
formula feed and need to provide formula to them. Not wanting to go down 
that road and loose any ground I may have gained, I stated, "Of course you 
have clients who formula feed. Formula is very expensive and they need to 
get it free whenever possible. There are risks to formula feeding. Many 
hospitals have stopped giving this away for free because of the risks. Some 
physicians have compared it to a hospital cardiac unit giving away coupons 
to McDonalds. (Thank you MA BF Coalition for this analogy)." I went on to 
explain that the greater concern was the women who come to the food bank 
who are breastfeeding but are tempted by the FREE formula...as it is 
valuable. Those women may start to use it because they have it. This can 
compromise their breastmilk supply....etc..." She was intrigued.

I asked if I could follow up with an email to her and the director. In the 
email I would provide information about this and some ideas about how we 
could work together to ensure their clients receive current, evidenced 
based infant nutrition information. She was thrilled. I will also connect 
them to their local breastfeeding coalition and other lactation support in 
their community. 

I then called the reporter who wrote the article and left a message for 
her. I stated that the assistant director was surprised to learn about the 
AAP recommendation to delay solids until 6 months and that this is 
something her readership might be interested in learning more about. I 
pitched a couple other ideas and will follow up with an email. 

Hopefully good will come from all this.

Kimberly Radtke, Coordinator
Breastfeeding Coalition of WA
A program of WithinReach (formerly Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies)

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:38:56 -0600
From:    Janice Reynolds <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Food Bank plea for infant formula

(These towns are in Washington state
Janice Reynolds)

Agencies in urgent need of baby food
Everett, Marysville and Lynnwood food banks say they're nearly out of
formula and other supplies.

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/06/10/100loc_b1food001.cfm

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