Breastfeeding Walk & Health Fair come to Laurel Park Aug. 7

Community Bridges is hosting its 18th annual Breastfeeding Walk & Health Fair in Santa Cruz on Thursday, Aug. 7 in Laurel Park.

The event, hosted by Community Bridges’ Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, aims to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and raise awareness about breastfeeding and the available services for families through Community Bridges’ WIC Program and its health partners.       

It is open to the public, including new parents and expecting families. The event runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a community walk around the park at 3 p.m., symbolically showing support for breastfeeding families. Afterward, attendees can enjoy live music, complimentary refreshments, and free T-shirts, as well as participate in a raffle for prizes. 

Local organizations have also organized a series of community resource booths focused on family health and wellness. The program will also host a donor human milk drive, collecting breast milk for families in need. 

Community Bridges provides support to about 800 pregnant and 900 breastfeeding women, along with 1,600 infants, and 5,000 children each year across Santa Cruz County, the organization said in a press release.  

Low-income residents who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or caring for a child under the age of five can qualify for the program’s online and in-person support. This included meals, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and health services such as breastfeeding peer counseling, hemoglobin screenings, and referrals to health care providers. 

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