Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition
MANHATTAN – The Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition (KBC), with support from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, awarded over $9,000 in educational scholarships to support individuals to provide lactation support in their communities, including in Hays.
In Kansas, nearly 90% of families choose to breastfeed. Yet, breastfeeding rates amongst communities of color and rural communities are lower than the state average.
The KBC is committed to addressing racial and geographic inequities in breastfeeding by identifying and supporting breastfeeding advocates in new and innovative ways.
In alignment with this goal, the KBC is pleased to award $9,500 in scholarships to support 11 aspiring lactation support providers in Atchison, Garden City, Hays, Hutchinson, Kansas City, Lawrence (2), Salina, Topeka, and Wichita (2).
These individuals provided written statements sharing their vision and passion for helping diverse families. They were selected by the review committee for their commitment to supporting their communities by pursuing further education in the lactation field.
“Breastfeeding is important for the health and well-being of both the parent and the child. We are excited to work with these individuals to build a diverse lactation support workforce so families in Kansas can receive culturally congruent care,” said Stephanne Rupnicki, Chair of the KBC Board of Directors and Co-Founder of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Breastfeeding Coalition.
The KBC will continue to support these scholarship recipients in the pursuit of their goals. The KBC hopes to find more ways to contribute to equity in breastfeeding for all Kansans.
The Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition is a non-profit organization that works collaboratively to promote, support, and protect breastfeeding to improve the health and well-being of Kansas families.