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Breastfeeding Walk & Healthy Baby Festival Aug. 5 in Niagara Falls

by jmaloni

Submitted

Mon, Jul 27th 2015 11:05 am

Family walk, children's activities, parent resources offered

A family fun walk, children's activities, games, education, community resource tables and prizes are all part of the annual Breastfeeding Walk & Healthy Baby Festival hosted by Catholic Charities Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, in Hyde Park (Pine Avenue and Hyde Park Boulevard, near the splash pad) in Niagara Falls.

All are invited to attend, especially families, caregivers and anyone in support of a healthy start for babies or who would like to learn more about breastfeeding.

Catholic Charities WIC serves all of Erie and Niagara counties and is hosting the free event to raise awareness of the benefits and significance of breastfeeding, and in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1-7). The walk and festival are designed to create community support to friends, family and others who are or may be considering breastfeeding, or who have breastfed.

The family fun walk begins at 11:15 a.m., along with informational educational displays and resources, entertainment, prizes and giveaways. "Sesame Street's" Elmo and other characters will be on hand for the children. The Buffalo Zoo's Zoomobile also will be at this event.

Families are encouraged to pack a picnic lunch for after the walk.

"Attendees of our popular walk and festival have the opportunity to learn about ways to stay healthy through pregnancy, how to decrease the chance of preterm birth, and the importance of breastfeeding for the long-term health of both the baby and mother," said Katie Constantino, Catholic Charities WIC breastfeeding coordinator. "It also is fun for the kids and offers families the chance to meet one another and have an enjoyable morning out."

No registration is required; questions can be directed to 716-218-1484, ext. 2411.

The event is funded through a community award from the March of Dimes.

WIC offers breastfeeding support, education and counseling from international board-certified lactation consultants to address more complicated breastfeeding issues, and free beast pumps for eligible participants. Mothers will be provided a peer counselor to call if they have any questions or concerns.

WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides food, participant-centered nutrition education and referrals for eligible pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of 5. Catholic Charities WIC program served more than 26,000 participants in 2014 in Erie and Niagara counties.

For more information about WIC, visitccwny.org/wic. For information on any other Catholic Charities service, go to ccwny.org.

Catholic Charities served more than 142,000 people in need in Western New York in 2014. For 92 years, Catholic Charities has been making a difference for people of every faith and ethnicity in Western New York. Catholic Charities empowers children, families and seniors to achieve meaningful, healthy and productive lives. In all situations, Catholic Charities delivers support to meet immediate needs, and then assesses clients for other needs to ensure long-term success. It is the most comprehensive human service provider serving Western New York.

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