Orfalea Foundation funds
county breast feeding facilities
With
an Orfalea Family Foundation donation to the county
for designated breast feeding facilities, New Year promises more than
resolutions for female county employees returning from maternity leave.
“This
is a great thing for our female employees to feel supported in something that’s
very natural and to provide these stations goes a long way to provide support
for our employee’s families,” said 1st District Supervisor Salud
Carbajal.
The
Orfalea Family Foundation donated more than $23,000
to Santa Barbara County to establish eight lactation stations throughout county
departments.
“The
idea was born at a meeting that we had and their interest and willingness to
form such a project,” Carbajal said. “I had our staff
do some preliminary work and we went back to them and they were generous and
displayed great leadership in partnering with us to implement lactation centers
for county employees.” Four of the breast feeding designated facilities will be
located in Santa Maria, three in Santa Barbara, and one in Lompoc.
Facilities
will include a small enclosed room, hospital grade breast pumps, a chair and
footrest, a refrigerator, a microwave, a television, Purell
dispenser and water.
“The
goal is to make comfortable, private, designated locations in the various
county buildings so that nursing mothers can go and use the lactation
facilities,” Carbajal added.
“All
studies and research show that breast feeding is so important to the
development of children and to the extent that this can support women for doing
it is valuable.”
The
Orfalea Foundation distributes and funds various
grants to nonprofits twice a year. Its
areas of focus include early care, education, experimental enrichment and
serving critical community needs.
For
information on the Orfalea Family Foundation, visit
www.orfaleafoundation.org.