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Dear Friends of Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities,
As we are in a new year, I wanted to take a moment to pause and say thank you.
The past year has been a demanding one for the nonprofit sector, particularly for organizations working at the intersection of public health, policy, and family support. Many of the systems we operate within are shifting quickly, and funding and capacity have not always kept pace with the need. And still—families continued to show up. And so did you.
Over the past year, together, we:
- Continued advancing the Ten Steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community across multiple counties
- Supported Breastfeed Durham, Franklin, and Guilford through policy, systems, and community-based work
- Launched and expanded the SAFE Infant Feeding Team, including training and emergency preparedness efforts
- Advanced Infant & Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) policy conversations at the county and state levels
- Sustained the Lactation Collaborative, coordinating volunteer IBCLCs to provide direct lactation support to families who need it most
- Deepened cross-sector work around benefits access, recognizing that food security, insurance coverage, and lactation support are inseparable
Together, this work spans policy, emergency preparedness, direct care, and systems change—and it is increasingly connected across counties, partners, and disciplines.
None of this happened in isolation. It happened because board members asked hard questions and stayed engaged. Because staff and students brought care, rigor, and persistence to complex work. Because donors trusted us. Because volunteers showed up—sometimes quietly, sometimes urgently—exactly when families needed support.
In moments when the work felt heavy or uncertain, it was this partnership that made it possible to keep going, to adapt, and to stay rooted in our mission.
So this is simply a note of appreciation. Thank you for choosing to stand with Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities. Thank you for contributing your time, expertise, resources, and trust. Thank you for not sitting on the sidelines.
In this new year, we know this work is a marathon, not a sprint. There is more to do—and while the challenges remain real, so does the momentum we’ve built together. We are committed to carrying this work forward thoughtfully, collaboratively, and in ways that truly support families and communities.
As you step into the year ahead, I hope you’re able to rest, reconnect with the people who matter most to you, and know that your support made a real difference this year—and continues to shape what’s possible.
With deep gratitude and warm wishes,
Love Anderson
President & CEO
Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities |
