Working &
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Breastfeeding
Working &
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Breastfeeding
Working &
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Breastfeeding
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Coalition
About the
Mission Statement
Organize local efforts to improve the health of our community by promoting, educating and
providing support for breastfeeding.
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Membership
The Breastfeeding Coalition of San Joaquin County is made up of representatives from local hospitals, WIC programs, community groups, non-profit organizations, health plans, San Joaquin County government agencies, and interested individuals. Anyone interested in the promotion of breastfeeding in San Joaquin County is encouraged to participate in the Coalition. There is no membership fee.
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Objectives
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Increase the number of physicians and other primary healthcare providers in San Joaquin County who include breastfeeding/lactation counseling and referral as part of routine care.
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In accordance with the Healthy People 2030 National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives, increase the proportion of infants who are breastfeed exclusively through age 6 months and increase the proportion of infants who are breastfeed at 1 year.
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Provide accurate, equitable and consistent breastfeeding support, information and resources to women, families, health professionals and the community.
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Encourage breastfeeding-friendly policies and procedures in all area hospitals, birthing centers, local businesses and workplaces.
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Educate local city and county government officials on the benefits of breastfeeding and involve them in making San Joaquin County Baby-friendly.
Coalition Meeting Information
Everyone is welcome to attend our monthly Coalition meetings!
Breastfeeding Coalition of San Joaquin County meetings are held on the
second Monday of each month from 10:00 am-12:00 pm*
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Our Monthly Coalition Meetings are Hybrid!
In Person Location:
HPSJ Community Room, 7751 S. Manthey Road, French Camp, CA
Can't make it in person? Join us virtually!
Join our mailing list today, to be sure not to miss the invite​​
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Meet the Board
Crystal THORnTON, President
BS, CLEC, CD
“I am excited and honored to have been appointed the new Board President of the San Joaquin Breastfeeding Coalition. I look forward to learning from and with fellow board members and community partners, as a lifelong learner and professional in the field.”
Crystal Thornton is a Black woman, deeply rooted in Stockton, California. She is a mother, emerging scholar and maternal-child mental health paraprofessional. In 2019, she completed her associates degree in Early Childhood Education Development and will be completing a Bachelor’s of Arts in Social Sciences in May of 2021 from CSU Stanislaus. In the course of her studies, Crystal piloted mixed methods research concerning Breastfeeding amongst African American mothers in San Joaquin county, in an effort to understand the barriers and benefits for both mothers and children, as it relates to life expectancy outcomes. She is passionate about working with families in the community.
wendy howard, vice president
CLEC
"When I had my daughter, I didn’t have the support of someone who breastfed or the knowledge and resources to look to for help. I had trouble getting her to latch on my own and ended up giving up about a month into it. I have learned so much about breastfeeding from working at WIC the past 6 years and want to let people know that there is help and resources out there. Being a part of the Breastfeeding Coalition, allow me to work with lactation professionals in our community and provide information and support to community based partners and women in general who want to breastfeed"
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Wendy Howard has worked for the San Joaquin County Public Health Services (PHS) WIC program for nearly 6 years. She is an Administrator, Breastfeeding Coordinator and Regional Breastfeeding Liaison. Through her numerous hats worn with in PHS WIC she has helped many families, women, babies and children with their nutritional needs. She knew I wanted to do something that helped people. Through her work she has assisted with in pump issuance and breastfeeding education, and now as the RBL bridging the gap for education and resources for physicians and community partners, working alongside Tamesha Turner from Delta Health Care. As the current Vice President of the BreastfeedSJC, my goal is to ensure the coalition has an organized focus to grow our member and education our community.
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Anna Groves, TREASURER
IBCLC
Anna Groves is a Lactation Consultant, Breastfeeding Coordinator and Peer Counseling Supervisor for Delta
Health Care’s WIC program. She has worked in the community for over 20 years through organizations such
as La Leche League and the Public Health WIC program. As an experienced breastfeeding mother, she worked
as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for many years and has a background in early childhood education. We are
excited to have her share her wealth of knowledge & experience working in the community.
”I believe the work of the Coalition is key to ensure all mothers have access to quality breastfeeding support and resources.”
Dymon hanes, SECRETARY
BS, CLEC, CD
"Quote coming soon..."
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Bio Coming Soon....
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Ericka DorseY, advisor
M.Ed., CLEC
“I am super excited to continue on the extraordinary commitment of support, education, recognition, and service to the community that the Breastfeeding Coalition of San Joaquin County is known for.”
Ericka Dorsey, is a proud fourth-generation, former breastfeeding mother of three and has a deep desire to listen to and find solutions to increase breastfeeding rates for Black women and other vulnerable populations. She is also committed to amplifying the voices and stories of black women to both advocate for and inform local policies to ultimately foster improved maternal and child health outcomes and build stronger, holistically supported families. Ericka holds a master’s degree in Health Promotion and Education, a BS in Biology from Spelman College, and is also a certified fitness instructor.
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As a maternal and infant health consultant, she has contracted with organizations such as the California Breastfeeding Coalition to offer expertise in research in maternal/infant health to curate educational news and advocacy content through the Coalition’s social media platforms. She is also the co-founder of Flourishing Families, a community-based nonprofit centered around motherhood, breastfeeding, and wellness support for black mothers based in the San Joaquin County.
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olivia millan,aDVISOR
IBCLC
”Quote coming soon...”
Bio coming soon...
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Tamesha TURNER, ADVISOR
IBCLC
“My vision for the Coalition is to create a resource network of support that surpasses all cultures, languages, and biases…where families can be supported by the village so they can provide their children with the best start...Breastfeeding.”
Stockton native, wife and mother of three young men, Tamesha (Valverde) Turner is an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and has worked in our community supporting breastfeeding families for over 22 years through the WIC program. Specializing in Black Maternal health, she is the Program Manager of the DHC SistaCoach program, WIC Regional Breastfeeding Liaison and Co-Founder of Flourishing Families, Inc. As the former Vice President for BreastfeedSJC, she very knowledgeable in the needs of the community. She is passionate about advocating for breastfeeding and connecting birthing families with the resources they need to flourish.