The Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project was identified by the Healthy for Life Action Team as a strategy, that when combined with other actions in our community, has a reasonable chance of making a difference in Jackson County. This is a new program in our community.

• The audience for the Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project are all workplaces, businesses, and licensed child care center in Jackson County. The project aims to make a difference at the individual/interpersonal behavior and organizational/policy change level. Implementation will take place in workplaces, businesses, and licensed child care centers.
• The Project seeks to make workplaces and child care centers breastfeeding-friendly by providing adequate, private space for employees and visitors to express breastmilk or nurse, store breastmilk, and develop policies to ensure ongoing support of lactating employees
• The Project seeks to shift the culture of infant feeding in our rural Appalachian community by making breastfeeding in public a normal behavior.  The Action Team will support local businesses in developing procedures to openly support breastfeeding and pumping patrons. 
• Overall, the Action Team will provide technical assistance and support for workplaces, businesses, and child care centers to achieve the Breastfeeding-Friendly Designations available through the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition and the NC Division of Public Health. 

The partners for Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project include:

Evaluation Plan:

We plan to evaluate the impact of the Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project through the use of Results-Based Accountability^TM to monitor specific performance measures. We will be monitoring How Much, How Well and/or Better Off Performance Measures.  Our evaluation activities will be tracked in the Work Plan table, above. 

Sustainability Plan:

The following is our sustainability plan for the Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project

• Use program performance measures to ensure ongoing effectiveness and demonstrate successes to funders and other key stakeholders
  •  Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project will track performance measures to share with the Healthy Communities grant of North Carolina.  Key stakeholders will be informed of the effectiveness of the program through the Healthy Carolinians Steering Committee and annual State of the County Health Report
• Communicate and engage diverse community leaders and organizations 
  • The Breastfeeding-Friendly Community Project will open up the door for new partnerships in the community and bring breastfeeding support to small and large businesses, local government, and new organizations
• Identify champions who strongly support the program
  • At each business, child care center, and/or workplace, staff will be trained on breastfeeding support and best practice.  Additionally, champions will be identified to maintain lactation rooms, and resources will be promoted to help with upkeep and replacement of items, etc. 
• Establishing a financial base for the program
  • The Health Department Healthy Communities grant allows for funds to be used to support this project.  In the future, if needed, the Health Department will work with agencies to seek small grants or donations to support their lacatation rooms and needs. 
• Increase community awareness on the issue & demonstrate value to the public
  • A brochure has been created that highlights the importance and benefits of breastfeeding for businesses and workplaces that will be shared with the community
  • Letters to the Editor and articles will be submitted to the local newspaper
  • Breastfeeding will continue to be supported through local social media
  • Any business, child care center, and/or workplace that partners with the project will receive education on breastfeeding support, best practice, and why breastfeeding is so important for good business
  • Surveys will be available to those who use the lactation rooms in order to gather information on how the lactation rooms have supported families and been successful and also identify ways to improve

2020 Updates

Businesses: The Cullowhee Community Garden has the achieved the NC Breastfeeding Coalition Breastfeeding Friendly designation.  There are no other new business designations, though we have spoken with the Town Manager, who went out on maternity leave as we were starting to discuss the project.  

Worksites: Jackson County Public Schools has completed the Board of Education and two schools Relaxation Rooms.  Two other schools have identified their spaces and they are being cleaned out, updated, and repaired.  Items are being purchased for these rooms. 

• For Jackson County Public Schools "Relaxation Room:"
  • Smokey Mountain Elementary School: A former 1970's style dark room has been completely redone and it is the perfect space due to privacy and amenities.  The room recieved new paint and had new carpet and a new sink installed.  It is now outfitted with a massage chair, side table, lamp and outlets, storage space and artwork.  

• Smoky Mountain High School: This room is in a private locked area of the main hallway and has received updates, such as new paint, a privacy screen for added security (not pictured), brown massage chair (not pictured), storage space, a refrigerator, and rug.  

(before picture above)

(after pictures below)

• Jackson Community School: This school has identified their space and work orders have been placed to have items removed and the room painted.  This room is expected to be completed in winter/spring 2021. 
• Fairview School and Blue Ridge School have identified their spaces. 
• Cullowhee Valley, Scotts Creek, and the early colleges are determining their designated spaces.

• Child Care: The Child Care Health Consultant was working to identify centers who may be ready to take this step, though the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted child care centers and they are unable to work towards these efforts at the moment. 

2019 Updates

Businesses: The Cullowhee Community Garden has applied for the Business Designation through the NC Breastfeeding Coalition

Worksites: 

• For Jackson County Public Schools "Relaxation Rooms":
  • The Board of Education: Designated space was completely cleaned out (was formerly a storage closet in administration), painted purple, had carpet installed, blackout curtains were added for privacy from the window overlooking the parking lot, and drapes were added to hide piping in the ceiling.  A drop ceiling will be added to permanently hide the pipes.  Additionally, a leather reclining massage chair was purchased and placed in the room, and there is a lamp, side table, noise machine, refrigerator, and changing pad with cleaning supplies available.  This is a permanent room for mothers and families to use when visiting the Board of Education.
  •   
  • Smokey Mountain Elementary: Designated space has been cleaned out (was formerly a dark room), had a sink replaced, was painted a neutral grey and has had carpet installed.  A chair, table, and mini fridge will be added.  
  • Jackson Community School: A designated space has been identified and will be completed by the end of the 2019-2020 school year. 
  • Smoky Mountain High School: Designated temporary space has been chosen and is being used.  A permanent space has been identified but walls will have to go up before this space can be used.  The Health Dept purchased a mini fridge for moms to use on-site.  Breastfeeding teachers and students are using this space to privately pump. 
  • Cullowhee Valley, Blue Ridge, Fairview, Scotts Creek, and the early colleges, are determining their designated spaces.

Child Care: The Child Care Health Consultant for Jackson County has reached out to all child care centers for becoming breastfeeding friendly but currently none are interested. 

Additionally, the Healthy for Life Action Team has reached out to the Town of Sylva Mayor about the project in downtown Sylva (a total of 2 square miles).

Brandi Harrison, lactation consultant with Harris Regional, scheduled to speak at the Healthy Carolinians January 2020 meeting.