The SAFE Infant Feeding Team was born out of urgent necessity. In the wake of Hurricane Helene and widespread flooding in Western North Carolina in 2024, families with infants and young children faced unprecedented barriers to safe feeding. From disrupted water supplies to a lack of infant feeding expertise in disaster shelters, the gaps in emergency preparedness became painfully clear.
Our team emerged from Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities (BFFC) and the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition, both long-standing leaders in lactation equity and maternal-child health. What began as a rapid-response effort to support families in disaster zones evolved into a dedicated network of infant feeding specialists, volunteers, and advocates. Together, we provided:
- Emergency sanitation kits for safe formula preparation.
- Peer lactation support to help parents sustain breastfeeding during trauma.
- Training for shelter staff and responders on infant feeding in emergencies (IYCF-E).
- Community milk sharing coordination in partnership with human milk banks.
In 2025, we formalized this work under the SAFE Infant Feeding Team banner to expand our capacity, develop innovative tools, and advocate for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) in disaster planning at state and national levels.
Today, SAFE focuses on building climate-resilient systems to protect infants in emergencies, supporting breastfeeding as a lifeline, and ensuring every caregiver—whether breast/chestfeeding or formula feeding—has the resources and dignity they deserve.
We stand at the intersection of public health, emergency response, and equity, working to make sure no family is left behind when disaster strikes.