Neighborhood Center Hosts Breastfeeding Celebration
Health Educators Join Families at Nutrition-Awareness Event at Franklin
Many families filled the auditorium at the Franklin Neighborhood Center on Thursday, August 6, to celebrate worldwide Breastfeeding Awareness Month with Women, Infants & Children (WIC) of Santa Barbara County, a breastfeeding and nutrition program for low-income women and their children. The program connects women with the resources they need to pump breast milk while at work, to prepare healthy meals for young children, and to receive parenting support in bilingual groups led by consejeras, or peer counselors.
Several S.B. County nonprofits, such as William Sansum Diabetes Center (WSDC), passed out educational pamphlets on nutrition in Spanish and English as well as healthy snack samples and easy recipe books. Marissa Duprey, WSDC staff member, spoke to families about diabetes prevention. Her colorful Velcro board encouraged children to test their food health knowledge by categorizing items such as broccoli and a cheeseburger by fat content. The Hi-C juice box on display showed how much sugar — nearly 30 grams — is in most juices marketed to children. Duprey said that the idea is to provide parents with accessible resources to prevent diabetes with the hope that they use them.
Mothers and their children, many already receiving assistance through WIC, visited booths, learned about free county family services, and took home diaper samples, reusable grocery bags, and fresh bags of fruit and vegetables.
