At Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities, we are thrilled to celebrate the tremendous progress happening across North Carolina to create more supportive environments for families.
We are especially proud of:
- Durham County – For the past five years, we’ve had the honor of being in contract with the Durham County Department of Public Health, working side by side to expand breastfeeding support and build a healthier future for families.
- Guilford County – This year we launched a new contract with Every Baby Guilford, bringing our evidence-based strategies and technical assistance to a vibrant community committed to reducing infant mortality and improving child health outcomes.
- Sandhills Collaborative – Each year, we are delighted to provide three hours of free technical assistance to the Sandhills Collaborative, supporting their efforts across Hoke, Montgomery, Richmond, and Scotland Counties. Their work in doula services, breastfeeding support, and family-friendly practices is making a real difference.
We believe every county deserves a strong, sustainable breastfeeding infrastructure. Our vision is that all North Carolina communities will one day join the Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities Network. Together, we can normalize breastfeeding, reduce infant mortality, and create systems that uplift families from the very start.
We are so proud to stand alongside Durham, Guilford, and the Sandhills Collaborative—and we invite other communities to partner with us to build lasting change.
To learn more about the collective work happening across North Carolina, we invite you to explore the latest evaluation reports from the UNC team and the North Carolina Division of Public Health. These documents highlight the measurable progress communities are making toward improving birth outcomes, reducing infant mortality, and strengthening child health.
Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report (ICO4MCH) – A detailed look at strategies in action across Durham, Guilford-Forsyth, Sandhills, Mecklenburg, and Wake. This report showcases initiatives such as breastfeeding promotion, doula services, Family Connects, and community action team successes.
Long-Term Outcomes Report – A 10-year view of progress in ICO4MCH communities, tracking trends in preterm birth, infant mortality, breastfeeding at hospital discharge, and other vital measures. This report demonstrates both the challenges and the promising strides being made across the state.
Together, these reports provide the data-driven backbone for the stories we celebrate here—proof that collective impact and sustained investment create healthier beginnings for families.