Organizational Ecosystem · April 2026
Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities
International Ten Steps framework · Active in 5 states · 25+ communities · 501(c)(3) since October 2020
Umbrella Organization
Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities
Durham, NC · 501(c)(3) since Oct 2020
The Ten Steps framework — built to scale internationally
The Ten Steps
1–2 Government & Welcoming Atmosphere
Proclamation · Signage · Federal law enforced
Proclamation · Signage · Federal law enforced
3–5 Health Care
WHO optimal feeding · Pregnant families informed · BF-friendly facilities
WHO optimal feeding · Pregnant families informed · BF-friendly facilities
6 Community Lactation Support
Services & support groups fully available
Services & support groups fully available
7–9 Business
Welcoming locations · Code of Marketing · Workplace accommodation
Welcoming locations · Code of Marketing · Workplace accommodation
10 Educational Systems
Supportive curricula at all educational levels
Supportive curricula at all educational levels
Contact
contact@breastfeedingcommunities.org
919-622-8787
6319 Coronado Lane, Durham, NC 27713
919-622-8787
6319 Coronado Lane, Durham, NC 27713
Pilot Community · 2018
Breastfeed Durham
Durham County, NC. BFFC's closest and longest-running implementation partner. 8 of 10 Steps achieved. Five active affinity coalitions. Funded by Durham County DPH.
Affinity Coalitions
Black Breastfeeding Coalition
Lactancia Latina / Un Día a la Vez
LGBTQ+ Human Milk Feeding Coalition
Tea & Milk Coalition
Breastfeeding Friendly Healthcare Providers
Lactancia Latina / Un Día a la Vez
LGBTQ+ Human Milk Feeding Coalition
Tea & Milk Coalition
Breastfeeding Friendly Healthcare Providers
Institutional Partners
Durham County Dept. of Public Health
Durham Public Schools · La Leche League Durham
Durham Public Schools · La Leche League Durham
National Pilot · Est. 2024
SAFE Infant Feeding Team
Support & Advocacy for Feeding in Emergencies. IYCF-E national project under BFFC umbrella. Launched post-Hurricane Helene. Listed by National Pediatric Disaster Coalition.
NCVA
TXCA
WI
Funders
Healthy Blue / BCBS NC — IYCF-E training
NH Charitable Foundation — Supplies
La Leche League — Emergency prep
NH Charitable Foundation — Supplies
La Leche League — Emergency prep
University & Research Partners
Temple University
MPH practicum — policy, communications & financial strategy
UNC Chapel Hill / CGBI
Framework origin · Ten Steps co-developer · Catherine Sullivan, MPH · Julia Bourg, MPH
UNC Gillings School of Public Health
Dr. Stephanie Martin · Dr. Heather Wasser — IYCF-E research & evaluation
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School
Dr. Cecilia Tomori — sociocultural determinants & equity-centered practice
Duke University
Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist — human milk sharing, ethics & SAFE Team training modules
NC Breastfeeding Coalition (NCBFC) — Statewide Partner
Statewide partner on special projects including the SAFE Infant Feeding Team. Intermittent funding. Several BFFC team members hold dual NCBFC roles.
NCBFC Leadership
Chair — Love Anderson
Past Chair — Brandi Harrison
Health Equity Coordinator & Executive Assistant — Briana Smith
Awards Coordinator — Kathleen Anderson
Past Chair — Brandi Harrison
Health Equity Coordinator & Executive Assistant — Briana Smith
Awards Coordinator — Kathleen Anderson
Contracted & Funded Communities
— Active contracts or funded TA
Breastfeed Durham
Durham County, NC · Durham County DPH
Pilot since 2018. 8 of 10 Steps. Five affinity coalitions. 42 park signs. Weekly lactation clinics.
Franklin County, NC
Active since August 2023 · RIMC funding
28 businesses pledged. BF rate 15.9% (2014) → 21.8% (2022). Park signage summer 2026.
Franklin County Health Dept
Guilford County, NC
Every Baby Guilford contract · Aug 2025
Highest IMR disparity among NC's 5 largest counties. First responder training in development. 700 police officers in scope.
Every Baby Guilford
Free Technical Assistance
— 3–5 hrs/year · Community-led coalitions
Carrboro / Orange County, NC
Full designation June 17, 2025 · 10-year volunteer journey
Original 2015 pilot. Mayor Foushee read the proclamation. Chapel Hill & Hillsborough continuing.
Asheville / Buncombe County, NC
Locally funded · Coalition since 2019
Pre-existing first responder relationships enabled the Helene response.
Northeast NC — 8 Counties
Bertie · Camden · Chowan · Currituck · Gates · Hertford · Pasquotank · Perquimans
New collaborative. Early coalition building and resource mapping underway.
Sandhills Collaborative — 5 Counties
Cumberland · Hoke · Montgomery · Scotland · Richmond
Funded through ICO4MCH (DHHS NC). BFFC provides free TA without financial compensation.
Hampton Roads Region, VA
Virginia
Coalition actively building toward Ten Steps implementation.
Wood County, WI & Tuskegee, AL
Wisconsin · Alabama
Wood County temporarily paused; re-engagement planned. Tuskegee actively building.
Pennsylvania Communities
Chester · Wilkinsburg · Lycoming-Clinton · Williamsport · PA AAP Chapter
Formerly funded. Strategic guidance as capacity allows.
Alleghany & Chatham Counties, NC
Chatham: EMBRACe project · Alleghany: early stage
Chatham has local funding. BFFC supports coalition infrastructure building.
In Contact / Loose Affiliation
— Attending trainings or using free resources
South Bend, IN
Cincinnati & surrounding counties, OH
Pennsylvania Chapter, AAP
Emerging sites — ongoing interest
Community Reach
— Mailing lists & active engagement
Breastfeed Durham Mailing List
2,721
Total subscribers
566
Actively engaged
125
Actively building BF-friendly communities
SAFE Team Network
1,278
Total subscribers
749
Active participants
256
Actively building BF-friendly communities
Our People
— Active team, board, advisors & community contacts
Board of Directors — Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities
Love Anderson
Co-founder · CEO
Fariha Rahman
COO
Salma Begum Ali
Board member · MPH
Melissa Henry
Board member
BFFC Leadership & Team
Love Anderson
CEO & Co-founder · Board
Fariha Rahman
Chief Operating Officer · Board
Anaiyah Morgan
Financial Strategist · MPH
Ty Troped
Communications Fellow · MPH
Erin Neuwald
Volunteer · Visual communications · website
Joy Tong
Volunteer · Visual communications · presentations
Rachel Doll
Student · Supporting national BFFC work
🎓 New MPH students join us every year — bringing fresh capacity in public health, policy, communications, and financial strategy through practicum partnerships with Temple University and UNC Chapel Hill.
Advisors
Kathleen Anderson
Board member emerit · Lead facilitator, Breastfeed Orange NC
Bernadette Greene
Advisor · Executive Director, Breastfeed Durham
Breastfeed Durham Team
Love Anderson
CEO, BFFC · Breastfeed Durham co-founder
Bernadette Greene
Executive Director
Ashley Schlageter
MPH · Family Festival support
Nicola Young
Healthcare, Latina families, Lactation Collaborative
Jess Woon
Lactation Collaborative Coordinator
Linels Higuera Ancidey
Spanish-speaking family support
Claudia Hines
Black Breastfeeding Coalition coordinator
Janiah Fladger
Outreach coordinator
Rachel Lewis
Board member, Breastfeed Durham
SAFE Infant Feeding Team — Board of Directors
Love Anderson
Board · BFFC CEO & Co-founder
Norma Escobar, IBCLC
Bilingual IBCLC · Wilmington, NC · Spanish-language capacity
Ashley Mickelson, IBCLC/SLP
Coordinator · Evidence-based emergency feeding support
Brandi Harrison, IBCLC
Field deployment & volunteer training lead
Jayne Carpenter, IBCLC
Trauma-informed clinical feeding · WNC · Perinatal mental health
Melinda Delisle
Clinical nutritionist & childbirth educator · Emergency protocols
Corey Graywood
Doula · Trauma-informed · LGBTQ+ inclusive · Reproductive justice
Paris Heidt Laliberte, CLC
Coordinator · Doula · Perinatal mental health · Statewide logistics
Rachel Fann, CLC/SLP
Coordinator · Backend logistics · Shelter & rural community focus
Tashery Risner
Trauma-informed doula · Community-rooted · Emergency preparedness
SAFE Team — Additional Support
Savannah Keener
Student support
Natasha Bowden
Buncombe Partnership for Children · Buncombe BF Coalition facilitator
Mikayla Dowell
Doula · WNC · Reproductive justice · Rural & marginalized community support
Marcelle Crago
Doula · Birth justice · Trauma-informed · Under-resourced communities
Melanie Ham
Lactation professional · Field response · Volunteer training
Lisa Ince
MPH intern · Hands-on IYCF-E experience
SAFE Team — Research Partners
Dr. Stephanie Martin
UNC Gillings · IYCF-E research · U.S. context adaptation · Strategic design & evaluation
Dr. Cecilia Tomori
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg · Medical anthropology · Equity-centered & BIPOC community voice
Dr. Heather Wasser
UNC Gillings · Maternal & child nutrition · Implementation science · Nutrition equity
Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist
Duke University · Milk sharing ethics · SAFE Team training modules & policy
Catherine Sullivan, MPH, RD, IBCLC
UNC CGBI Director · WIC & USDA alignment · Lactation policy & credentialing
Julia Bourg, MPH
UNC CGBI · Program management · Community engagement · IYCF-E tools & policy
Community Partners — Guilford County
Jean Workman
Executive Director, Every Baby Guilford
Andrea Harrell
Assistant City Manager, City of Greensboro
Latrice / Andrea Priest
NC A&T Pathway 2 · Cone Health IBCLC
Brandi Collins-Calhoun
Community Health Worker, Breastfeed Guilford
Kiera Hereford
Community Health Worker, Breastfeed Guilford
Community Partners — Franklin County
Maya Crudup
Franklin County Health Dept
Tarra Nweke
BFFC facilitator, Breastfeed Franklin
Lana Cooper
Franklin County community partner
Tech Infrastructure
Ian Anderson
Volunteer Chief Technology Officer · Dark Energy
Funding Landscape
— Rapidly changing · Current open streams · Looked very different last year
Current grants & contracts
~$273,194
Across 16 funding streams
In-kind contributions
~$75,000
Donated services & volunteer labor
View financial transparency →
Previous years' financials available on website
Durham County DPH
Breastfeed Durham (ICO4MCH)
$50,000
Durham County Early Childhood
Lactation Spaces Coordinator
$25,000
Durham County Early Childhood
Family Festival
$5,000
Breastfeed Durham
Lactation Collaborative
$30,000
Franklin County Health Dept
Breastfeed Franklin
$15,000
Every Baby Guilford
Guilford County + Summer + Heritage
$40,000
NACCHO
Blueprint Peer Ambassador
$20,000
Baby Björn
Corporate support
$6,000
Individual donors
Daughters in honor of their mothers
$10,000
BCBS NC / Healthy Blue
IYCF-E Training Series
~$10,000
Birthstone / BCBS Fiscal Sponsorship
Fiscal sponsorship
~$10,000
NH Charitable Foundation
Emergency supplies
$5,250
La Leche League
Emergency preparedness
$2,000
Church of the Immaculate Conception
Un Día a la Vez
$4,944
Marsha Brady Tucker Fund
Foundation grant
$20,000
BFFC
Unrestricted operations
$20,000
Unrestricted ✦
BFFC / Core
Breastfeed Durham
SAFE Team
Research partners
Contracted / funded
Free TA
Unrestricted funding ✦