Weekly Wire: Join the USBC Welcome Congress Campaign, New USBC Creating Space Scholarship and more

The USBC e-Newsletter, Staying Abreast, is published in a weekly news brief format, called the Weekly Wire (WW). Past issues are archived below.

Subscribe: visit the signup page
Submit: visit the submission form

Please note: Inclusion of an item in this e-newsletter does NOT imply endorsement or support of such item by the United States Breastfeeding Committee, unless specifically noted.

The WW goes on hiatus several times a year: the weeks of the Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's holidays, the weeks before the Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays, and the weeks of the USBC membership meetings.

Weekly Wire: Join the USBC Welcome Congress Campaign, New USBC Creating Space Scholarship and more

2/17/2023

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- USBC Welcome Congress Campaign Underway!
- Growing Our Table: Become a USBC Member, New Creating Space Scholarship Now Available
- Awards Application Now Open for 2023 National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening
National News
- Notice of Funding Opportunity for REACH Program
- NACCHO Webinar on Nutrition Security for Infants and Toddlers in Communities of Color
- Bill Introduced to Advance Paid Leave for Federal Employees
- Meeting Announcement: Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality
- DOL Guidance Updated to Reflect Passage of the PUMP Act
- Funding Opportunity: Gather Food Sovereignty Grant
State & Community News
- New Mexico Lactation Education Scholarships Available
- Updated California Lactation Resource Map
News & Views
Journal Publications

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

USBC Welcome Congress Campaign Underway!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is mobilizing the lactation field for the Welcome Congress Campaign to connect with policymakers and urge them to prioritize breastfeeding this congressional session. This week started off with the USBC sending a package of materials to the offices of every Senator and Representative to educate them about the state of breastfeeding nationally and in their district and the role policymakers play in protecting infant nutrition security, and highlighting the most pressing policy areas in need of attention this congressional session. The Welcome Congress package they received included their State or Territorial Breastfeeding Report and the Welcome Congress organizational sign-on letter with the signatures of nearly 300 national, state, and local organizations. The joint letter outlines the USBC and membership's top five policy priorities and calls on Congress to take action to advance these priorities to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, which include:

Federal funding for breastfeeding
Infant nutrition security
Access to lactation support & supplies
Workplace protections
Maternity care

Take action with us today by contacting your legislators to urge them to review these materials and work to advance these policy areas.

Growing Our Table: Become a USBC Member, New Creating Space Scholarship Now Available

Is your organization implementing policies, programs, or practices that advance the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding and human milk feeding? If so, we've saved a seat for you! The membership of the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee includes 100+ organizations and represents the most unified voice in advocating for breastfeeding policy and practice change in the US.

We invite you to join our membership during our member drive! As an added incentive to apply during the drive, organizations that complete the membership application and onboarding process by the priority deadline of Sunday, March 12, at 11:59 p.m. will be entered into a raffle to win one complimentary registration to the National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening. If you have questions about the types of membership, membership benefits or terms, visit the USBC Membership FAQ webpage.

In addition, the USBC is thrilled to announce the launch of the Creating Space Scholarship. This Membership scholarship is available to new USBC member organizations that are led by and serving BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) or other priority populations, and have an operating budget of less than $250,000.

Through this scholarship program, the USBC will award up to 100 organizations a complimentary membership for 2023. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, read the blog post about the new Creating Space Scholarship opportunity.

Awards Application Now Open for 2023 National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is pleased to announce that the application for the USBC Awards Program for the 2023 National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening (NBCC) is now open. We invite breastfeeding and human milk-feeding advocates to apply within the following categories:

The Hamlin-Taylor Emerging Leader Award recognizes early or emerging leaders (serving <10 years) who are actively involved in the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding and human milk feeding so that it is a viable option for families. Active members of state, territorial, tribal, local, or cultural breastfeeding coalitions in the United States are encouraged to apply.
The Native Knowledge Award honors talented and dedicated individuals who identify as American Indian/Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native and are actively involved in the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding and human milk feeding so that it is a viable option for families.
The Cultural Changemaker Award celebrates leaders and members of cultural breastfeeding coalitions and community-based organizations actively engaged in the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding and human milk feeding in priority populations, as defined by the USBC. Preference will be given to individuals who identify as members of priority populations.

All award recipients will receive complimentary registration, airfare, and lodging for the NBCC, which will be held from Thursday, June 8, to Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Bethesda, MD. The awards application deadline is Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Visit the NBCC Awards webpage to learn about the application and review process, and to apply.

National News

Notice of Funding Opportunity for REACH Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program. REACH is a 5-year program that aims to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease. Applicants must propose work in nutrition and physical activity plus another strategy for one of the program's focused areas, which includes continuity of care in breastfeeding support. The application deadline is April 11, 2023. The CDC will host an informational call for potential applicants on Wednesday, February 22, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss the purpose of the funding, review the details for submitting applications, and provide an opportunity to ask questions related to the funding opportunity. Details of the call are provided on the funding opportunity webpage.

NACCHO Webinar on Nutrition Security for Infants and Toddlers in Communities of Color

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is hosting a webinar, "The First 1,000 Days Nutrition: Improving Nutrition Security for Infants and Toddlers in Communities of Color," on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET. This webinar will bring a diverse panel of public health and nutrition professionals that will discuss challenges and best practices in advancing early childhood nutrition security in communities of color. Attendees will also learn about NACCHO's recently co-created culturally responsive infant and toddler nutrition resources that are based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Bill Introduced to Advance Paid Leave for Federal Employees

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) reintroduced the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (S. 274/H.R. 856) with bipartisan support in both houses of Congress. The Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act would guarantee 12 weeks of paid family leave for federal employees in all instances covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act. Media highlights include:

Senator Schatz press release: "Schatz, Beyer Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation To Provide Paid Family And Medical Leave For Federal Employees"
Representative Beyer press release: "Schatz, Beyer Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Paid Family and Medical Leave for Federal Employees"

Meeting Announcement: Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality

The Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration issued a notice announcing that the Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality (ACIMM) has scheduled virtual public meetings to be held on Monday, March 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, and Tuesday, March 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET. Information about the Advisory Committee is available on the ACIMM website. The webinar link and meeting agenda will be available soon.

DOL Guidance Updated to Reflect Passage of the PUMP Act

The U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, released the updated "Fact Sheet #73: FLSA Protections for Employees to Pump Breast Milk at Work." The fact sheet provides information on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) protections for nursing employees, as extended by the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act). The Fact Sheet includes helpful examples and information on what this law means for teleworkers.

Funding Opportunity: Gather Food Sovereignty Grant

The First Nations Development Institute, a Native-led nonprofit organization, is accepting applications for the Gather Food Sovereignty Grant to support Native American-led food sovereignty work. First Nations plans to award up to seven grants averaging $32,000 to federal- and state-recognized tribal governments (tribal government programs, such as tribal arts programs, heritage departments, economic development entities, etc.), Native-controlled 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Native-controlled community organizations with fiscal sponsorships, or Native 7871 organizations. The application deadline is Tuesday, February 28, at 7 p.m. ET.

State & Community News

New Mexico Lactation Education Scholarships Available

The New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force (NMBTF) announced the availability of three scholarship opportunities: a CLC scholarship, a CLC to IBCLC scholarship, and an IBCLC re-certification scholarship. Priority will be given to low-income individuals of color seeking to increase their knowledge in lactation education.

Updated California Lactation Resource Map

BreastfeedLA announced the launch of the revamped Lactation Resource Directory. The Resource Directory is an interactive map that lists providers, clinics and community resources that provide lactation support across the state of California. The tool can be filtered by spoken language and service type, such as teen services, pump rentals, and support groups.