Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Texas Breastfeeding Coalition
Telephone Number:

Fax Number:
Email Address:
www.txbfcoalition.org

NEW TEXAS STATEWIDE BREASTFEEDING COALITION CONVENES

Austin, TX, October 6, 2006

WHAT: The Texas Breastfeeding Coalition (TXBC) will bring together key stakeholders to begin strategy development for the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding in the state of Texas.
WHO: Invited attendees include policy makers, business executives, health care administrators, physicians, nurses, educators, and community leaders.

WHEN: Friday, October 6, 2006, 11am to 2:30pm

WHERE: The offices of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, 300 W. 6th St., Ste. 2100, Austin.

WHY: Infants who are breastfed are at reduced risk for a variety of childhood illnesses, obesity, and death. Texas breastfeeding rates lag behind national goals, and childhood obesity rates in Texas are among the highest in the nation. Low breastfeeding rates undermine health and cost taxpayer dollars.

While Texas has several local breastfeeding coalitions and advocates, it has been without a statewide breastfeeding organization. In January of 2006, six representatives from various regions of Texas attended the United States Breastfeeding Committee Conference of state breastfeeding coalitions in Alexandria, Virginia.

With support from the Office of Women’s Health, the conference attendees organized a meeting of representatives from all regional breastfeeding coalitions in Texas in May of 2006. Participants drafted the mission and goals statements, developed a web site (www. txbfcoalition.org), and began planning for future collaborations with key stakeholders from the Texas community.

Specific strategies for achieving TXBC goals will be identified, developed, and implemented collaboratively with community leaders, beginning with the October meeting. Stakeholders will provide critical expertise for determining which strategies should be developed, how they can be implemented, and whether and how their effectiveness can be evaluated in specific Texas institutions.

The TXBC is a broad-based coalition of organizations and community leaders committed to working together on the design and implementation of practical, evidence-based strategies to promote, support, and protect breastfeeding in the state of Texas.

Legacy: Ensure that breastfeeding is the cultural norm in Texas

Mission: To improve the health of Texans by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

Goals:

Protect and promote a public environment supportive and accepting of breastfeeding
Improve breastfeeding rates
Build, link, and ensure access to state and local resources
Foster communication and build a strong networking system among stakeholders

Contact: [Name], Texas Breastfeeding Coalition, [phone #], [email]

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Texas Breastfeeding Coalition

www.txbfcoalition.org


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