Birth Brown Black and Brown Lactation Scholarship and Advocacy Fund

Birth Brown Co-Op (BBC) is a worker cooperative that is fiscally sponsored by the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA). BBC birth workers are trained black and brown professionals committed to improving community access to inclusive non-clinical and culturally relevant emotional, physical, educational and informational support through fertility, the full spectrum of pregnancy and family care services. By supporting families in all elements of birth, including cesarean, and V-BAC, and in all birth settings (home, hospital and birth center), we aim to assist families in creating and fulfilling the plans of their own birth stories.

As a birth worker coop, we offer the following public and educational services: full-spectrum doula services, fertility and preconception support, health literacy and education, birth worker training and mentorship, provider referrals, lactation support, and birth justice advocacy.

The Goal

In October 2019, we were awarded a $15,000 grant to pilot our Black and Brown Lactation Professional Scholarship Fund from the Access Matters breastfeeding grant. Through this grant we have assisted 3 aspiring IBCLC's and 5 CLC's in their professional goals. In doing so, BBC is assisting in increasing the number of Black and Brown Lactation Professionals in the Philadelphia, PA area! We hope the long term impact is increasing lactation rates among Black and Brown families!

We are asking the community to assist with continuing the fund! Private donations will help us make a bigger impact with our goal. Your contribution will allow us to increase the number of black and brown lactation Professionals acquiring their credentials (CLC or IBCLC) as well as provide them with more comprehensive support through the process. All donors will receive our tax-exempt information regarding your charitable donation for your tax filing.
With your support and generosity, we will be able to:

-Train a large pool of black and brown professionals

-Provide monthly support groups for scholarship recipients in order to ensure they receive comprehensive and high-quality guidance throughout the certification process

- Create community events; allowing our fund recipients opportunities to educate and engage in our area

-Facilitate the fund recipients in finding lactation preceptors (most of whom charge a fee) in order to gain real-world experience and obtain their credentials

-Collect, track and analyze impact data from this pilot in order to develop best practices
Why do we NEED Black and Brown Lactation Professionals?

Black women have the lowest breastfeeding initiation rates (64%) and the shortest breastfeeding duration (6.5 weeks) of all ethnic groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black women struggle to breastfeed successfully because they return to work earlier, receive less information about breastfeeding from their health-care providers and have less access to professional support.

Just a small donation will go a long way to helping us meet our goal!

Birth Brown Coop Thanks you!