Roanoke, [08/09/2024] — BREAST Roanoke, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to Breastfeeding Rights, Education, Advocacy, and Support, is excited to announce the opening of its new free lending library. The library will collect new and gently used lactation materials and provide essential resources such as nursing supplies, pumping supplies, lactation-friendly clothing, and other feeding-related items to families in need.
The library will officially open on August 9th for lending, and is already full of clean and organized lactation items that have been donated by area families. The lending library is located at the CHIP of the Roanoke Valley office, making it easily accessible to the community. This initiative aims to empower families across various backgrounds, including racial, ethnic, gender identity, lifestyle, and socioeconomic boundaries, to navigate their lactation and feeding journey comfortably and successfully.
BREAST Roanoke encourages individuals to get involved or contribute to the lending library by dropping donations inside CHIP from 9am-3pm Monday through Friday or in the box just outside the door for an after-hours drop off. Donations of pumps, pump parts, infant feeding supplies, and lactation related clothing are welcomed. These will help support the organization's mission of educating, advocating, and supporting all families in the Roanoke Valley to have better lactation and child health outcomes. You can also email BREAST or check out our social media events and info for additional drop off dates and times.
This resource is part of a larger three-year project on Trauma Informed Lactation Education in the Roanoke Valley, supported by the Virginia Foundation for Health Youth, in which BREASTRoanoke has partnered with CHIP of the Roanoke Valley, The Virginia Department of Health, The Center for Community Health Innovation at Roanoke College, The Birth Nurse, and Physicians to Children as part of a Health Community Action Team. The HCAT team is working on a variety of projects to create a Nourish Network to support families in our area.
BREAST Roanoke is a volunteer-run non-profit organization established in the Roanoke Valley, dedicated to creating a world that is accepting and encouraging of lactation. The organization's goals include educating the community on human milk benefits and barriers to lactation, increasing the duration of lactation, and fostering community support and acceptance of providing human milk in all forms.
For more information, please visit BREASTRoanoke or contact:
Kaley Sweeney, Director of Outreach and Engagement, BREASTRoanoke
Email: breastroanoke@gmail.com
