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National Breastfeeding Month After Party 🎉
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Seven weeks. Seven observances. One theme: RISE, for Resilience, Interdependence, Self-Determination, and Empowerment.
From World Breastfeeding Week on August 1 through Deaf and Hard of Hearing Breastfeeding Week ending September 22, you showed up. You read every weekly issue, filled our tables at community days, and cheered on the families we serve. Thank you.
National Breastfeeding Month is over, but the celebrating is not. This issue is the after party: the stories and wins we did not have room for while the season was in full swing.
With so much gratitude,
The Breastfeed Durham Team |
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Breastfeed Durham Summer 2026
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What a summer! From community events and library partnerships to free lactation care, Breastfeed Durham and our partners connected with families across Durham.
203 families at the Book Harvest Summer Block Party
9 library branches received Breastfeeding Welcome Here signs
39 families received free lactation care
These are just a few highlights from a busy summer of connection, support, and advocacy. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make it happen! |
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“Your Blackness is welcome here.”
Black August in the Park, in Claudia’s words
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Claudia Hines coordinates Breastfeed Durham’s Black Breastfeeding Coalition. On Sunday, August 30, she was at Black August in the Park at Durham Central Park, and she came back with a story we did not want to summarize. So we let her tell it.
“Black history. Black resistance. Black culture. Black music. Black joy. Black community. Gathered together, learning, dancing, celebrating, remembering, and just simply being.”
Claudia recorded her reflection in her own voice. Read it, and press play to listen.
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An award for Love, and the story behind Breastfeed Durham
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At the Uplifting Black and Brown Lactation Success (UBBLS) Conference in August, our President and CEO, Love Anderson, was surprised with the 2026 Innovation in Human Lactation Award. She had no idea it was coming. We did, and we are so proud.
Then VoyageRaleigh sat down with Love for an interview. If you have ever wondered how Breastfeed Durham started, or why we do this the way we do, this is the one to read.
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Advocacy in action: four wins we are finally writing down
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Step 8 passed. Eight of Durham’s Ten Steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community are now marked Pass, and the newest is Step 8, the International Code. Behind that checkmark: Jess Woon, BSN, RN, IBCLC, a box of rack cards, and a list of 89 Durham pharmacies. Here is the whole journey.
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88 businesses this year, our best year ever. âś…
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Sixty-seven of them came from one summer of door-to-door outreach by Nikki Bronson, and the new high chair and changing station program is already in restaurants. |
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A fire truck at Un DĂa a la Vez. âś…
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Four Durham firefighters, one fully bilingual, brought fire safety education (and the truck) to our Spanish-language perinatal circle.
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Last month we shared End Hunger Durham’s food pantry list and the Durham Area Food Resource Map. Liv Gladlin at the Durham County Department of Public Health told the whole PANFA committee: “Shout out, confetti, hollering and applause to Breastfeed Durham for sharing out End Hunger Durham’s searchable food pantry list and the Durham Area Food Resource Map.” Food access and infant feeding are the same conversation. If you missed it:
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Fall Mixer with Breastfeed Orange NC
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Faith Missionary Baptist Church Community Day
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Voices from the Storm Series |
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Two years after Hurricane Helene, the SAFE Infant Feeding Team, which Love co-founded, is publishing Voices From the Storm: Love’s own account of feeding babies in Western North Carolina when the water rose, followed by the volunteers, coordinators, and site staff who did the work, in their own words. More than 700 people registered for the Nourishing Resilience series that came before it. Two issues are out; more are coming.
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Upcoming Events & Community Connections
OCT 9 · 9:30–10:30 AM
Durham Benefits Access Coalition · Zoom
Details & Zoom
OCT 15 · DOWNTOWN DURHAM
Joy, Grief & Motherhood
An intimate benefit for Equity Before Birth, co-hosted with Grieve Leave, honoring Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
Limited to 70 guests. · Tickets
OCT 17 · 10 AM–3 PM
Hispanic Heritage Month Community Resource Fair
Stanford L. Warren Library · 1201 Fayetteville St.
✨ Find the Breastfeed Durham table!
Library details
OCT 19 · 10:30–11:30 AM
Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes Coalition · Zoom
Implementation Team + Community Office Hours. Everyone committed to reducing health disparities is welcome!
đź’¬ Drop in/out as your schedule allows. The final 30 minutes are open office hours for breastfeeding resource questions.
Join Zoom · More info
OCT 20 · 8 AM–4:30 PM · RALEIGH
Art of Breastfeeding Conference
McKimmon Center, NC State
🎪 Lactation & health professionals: visit our exhibit table!
NOV 2 & NOV 16 · 10:30 AM
Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes Coalition · Zoom
Same Zoom link as above. |
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How Do Benefits Help Families?
Programs like SNAP and tax credits can make a big difference for families. They can help put more money toward groceries, bills, and other everyday needs.
These examples show how much families can receive while working—and how benefits can change as income goes up.
Knowing what help is available can make a difference.
Source: Niskanen Center, 2025 Family Benefits in America Report Card |
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Durham Benefits Access Coalition: $80 million is sitting on the table |
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An estimated $80 million in benefits goes unused in Durham County. Breastfeed Durham is part of the Durham Benefits Access Coalition (DBAC) and co-facilitates its WIC/SNAP working group. DBAC brings together Durham County DSS, Duke Health, Lincoln Community Health Center, the Board of County Commissioners, and community organizations across Durham to cut the paperwork barriers that push families off SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid.
Next DBAC meeting: Friday, October 9, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Zoom. Email derek.uejo@duke.edu for the link.
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🌟 Community Choice Award 🌟
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Know a business or organization that makes breastfeeding families feel at home? Nominate them. No paperwork on their end; we handle the listing.
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Thank you to our financial partners! |
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This newsletter was made possible with the financial contributions of the Durham County Board of Commissioners, Durham County Office of the County Manager, Durham County Department of Public Health as part of the Improving Community Outcomes for Maternal and Child Health grant, Beyond Birth Lactation Services, Carolina Birth & Wellness, and donors like you. |
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Consider becoming a monthly sustainer... |
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Breastfeed Durham has received 2 years of conditional funding for Bernadette Greene to continue to serve in the role of Executive Director. The funding is conditional on Breastfeed Durham finding matching funds from other sources. Acceptance of paid advertisements does not constitute Breastfeed Durham endorsement of the product or service advertised. Breastfeed Durham does not require advertisers to carry product liability insurance. To place an ad, please contact Breastfeed Durham by email or by phone 919-622-8787. |
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Acceptance of paid advertisements does not constitute Breastfeed Durham endorsement of the product or service advertised. Breastfeed Durham does not require advertisers to carry product liability insurance. To place an ad, please contact Breastfeed Durham by email or by phone 919-622-8787. |
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