Local Coalitions

There are currently 37 local coalitions in Minnesota. Some coalitions are cultural, others encompass one or more counties or a region of the state. Seventy of Minnesota’s 87 counties have a coalition presence. Breastfeeding advocacy and promotion begin at the grassroots level. We encourage you to contact your local coalition and see how you can become involved. If there is not a coalition in your area, contact the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition marcia.in.mn@gmail.com for ideas on how to start one.

This tracking spreadsheet shows what the local coalitions in Minnesota have been doing recently to work toward meeting Objective 1 in the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition’s strategic plan. If you are a local coalition leader, please add information about your local coalition to the spreadsheet.

Anoka County Breastfeeding Coalition
- For information, contact: Holly Haney at 763-324-4215, or Gretchen Etzler at 763-324-4342, gretchen.etzler@co.anoka.mn.us

Becker County
- For information, contact: Katlyn Hubbard at 218-847-5628 Ext. 5430, knhubba@co.becker.mn.us or LeAnn Nelmark at 218-847-5628 Ext. 5398, ljnelma@co.becker.mn.us

Believers in Breastfeeding (Douglas County Breastfeeding Coalition)
- For information, contact: Tammy Bunting at 320-762-3024, tammyb@horizonph.org or Kelly Waldorf at 320-762-6464, kwaldorf@dchospital.com

The Breastfeeding Boosters of Nobles, Cottonwood and Jackson Counties
- For information, contact: Lindsay Chapman at 507-831-1987, lindsay.chapman@dvhhs.org or Mary Oeltjenbruns, mary.oeltjenbruns@sanfordhealth.org

Breastfeeding Coalition of Dodge, Rice, and Steele Counties
- For information, contact: Melissa Beneke, melissa.beneke@allina.com or Sara Coulter, scoulter@co.rice.mn.us

Breastfeeding Coalition of Richland and Wilkin Counties (includes Richland County in ND and Wilkin County in MN)
- For information, contact: Danielle Flack at 701-642-7735, daniellef@co.richland.nd.us

Breastfeeding for Babes Coalition (includes Beltrami County and Red Lake and Leech Lake Tribal communities)
- For information, contact: Sheila Johnson at 218-333-8298, Sheila.Johnson@co.beltrami.mn.us

Brown County Breastfeeding Coalition
- For information, contact: Melissa Hoffmann at 507-233-6815, melissa.hoffmann@co.brown.mn.us

Carlton County Breastfeeding Coalition
- For information, contact Patti Martin, patti.martin@co.carlton.mn.us

Carver County Public Health
- For information, contact: Jean Pierson at 952-361-1345, jpierson@co.carver.mn.us

Cass and Itasca County Breastfeeding Coalition
- For information, contact Renee Lukkason at 218-547-1340, ext. 209, renee.lukkason@co.cass.mn.us

Central Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition (includes Benton, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright Counties)
Web site: www.centralmnbreastfeedingcoalition.org
- For information, contact: Jenni Wald, Public Health Coordinator, Stearns County Human Services at 320-656-6503, jennifer.wald@co.stearns.mn.us or Jeanne Friebe, RN, BSN, RNC-LRN, IBCLC, Lactation Specialist, Family Birthing Center Section and Clinical Ladder Program Facilitator at 320-251-2700 ext. 51990, friebej@centracare.com

Cook County Maternal Child Health Group
- For information, contact: Teresa Borak and Amy Schmidt at 218-387-2330 or Kristin DeArruda Wharton kristin.dearrudawharton01@frontier.edu

Crow River Area Breastfeeding Coalition (includes McLeod, Meeker, and Sibley Counties)
For information, contact Jenny Crowe at 320-693-5394, jenny.crowe@co.meeker.mn.us or Whitney Nelson at 507-237-4018 whitneynelson@co.sibley.mn.us

East Central Breastfeeding Coalition (includes Chisago, Kanabec, Isanti, and Pine Counties)
Web site: www.eastcentralbreastfeeding.org
For information, contact: Sarah Motl, sarah.motl@co.isanti.mn.us
Fargo-Moorhead Area Breastfeeding Association (includes Clay County in MN and Cass County in ND)
For information, contact: Dawn Braaten at 218-299-7760, Dawn.Braaten@co.clay.mn.us or Tera Orr at 701-476-6711, torr@FargoND.gov
Fond du Lac Reservation Breastfeeding Task Force
For information, contact Celeste Ekberg at 218-878-3705, celesteekberg@fdlrez.com, Rebekah Dunlap at 218-878-2132 rebekahdunlap@fdlrez.com, or Katie Gokee at 218-878-2664 katherinegokee@fdlrez.com
Freeborn County Breastfeeding Coalition
For information, contact: Cindy Gaudian at 507-377-5100, cindy.gaudian@co.freeborn.mn.us
Goodhue Wabasha Pierce County Breastfeeding Coalition
For information, contact: Anne M. Beckman at 651-267-5376, beckman.anne@mayo.edu
Hubbard County
Indigenous Breastfeeding Coalition of Minnesota For information, contact: Takayla Lightfield at 605-431-6207, ligh0044@umn.edu or Natalie Nicholson at 218-209-1342 or 218-444-4323, natalie.nicholson@mewinzha.com

Kandiyohi County Breastfeeding Coalition
For information, contact: Janice Maxfield, Janice.Maxfield@carrishealth.com
Mower County Breastfeeding Coalition For information, contact: Kellie Jorgensen at 507-438-0743, jorgenson.kellie@mayo.edu or Karrie Green at 507-210-1655, green.karrie@gmail.com
North Central Breastfeeding Network (includes Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena Counties)
For information, contact: Shari Nelson at 218-824-1097, shari.nelson@crowwing.us
Northland Breastfeeding Coalition (includes St. Louis, Carlton, and Lake Counties in MN and Douglas County in WI)
Web site: www.northlandbreastfeedingcoalition.org
For information, contact: Candy Wegerson at 218-302-6186, candy.wegerson@state.mn.us or Sarah Stock at 218-293-1425, sastock@northwest-csa.com
Olmsted Area Breastfeeding Coalition
For information, contact: Wendy O’Leary at 507-328-7491, oleary.wendy@co.olmsted.mn.us
Partnership 4 Breastfeeding (Otter Tail County) For information, contact: Leslie Anderson at laanderson@lrhc.org or Kristin Bye at kbye@co.ottertail.mn.us
Polk County
For information, contact: Tammy Conn at 218-281-3385, tammy.conn@co.polk.mn.us
Quin County CHS Breastfeeding Coalition (includes Kittson / Marshall / Pennington / Red Lake / Roseau Counties) For information, contact: Connie Hagen at 218-681-0876, crhagen@co.pennington.mn.us
Renville County Breastfeeding & Healthy Families Task Force
For information, contact: Polly Ahrens at 320-523-2570, pollya@renvillecountymn.com or Annmarie Suess at annmaries@renvillecountymn.com
South Central Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition (regional coalition made up of Brown, Nicollet, Watonwan, Faribault, Martin, Le Sueur, Waseca, and Blue Earth Counties)
For information, contact: Cierra Thibert at 507-304-4178, Cierra.thibert@blueearthcountymn.gov
Southwest Breastfeeding Coalition (includes Big Stone / Lac qui Parle / Swift / Chippewa / Yellow Medicine Counties)
For information, contact: Cindy Louwagie at Clouwagie@countryside.co.swift.mn.us
Todd Wadena Healthy Connections
Web site: www.toddwadenahealthyconnections.org
For information, contact: Stephanie Rodriguez-Moser at 218-894-8846
Twin Cities Regional Breastfeeding Coalition For information, contact: Franny Clary-Leiferman at frances.clary@co.ramsey.mn.us or Pa Shasky at pa.shasky@co.ramsey.mn.us
Washington County Breastfeeding Coalition
For information, contact: Maggie Domski at 651-430-6649, maggie.domski@co.washington.mn.us or Lia Burg at lia.burg@co.washington.mn.us
Website: http://livinghealthywc.org/breastfeeding-support/ Resource list:
http://livinghealthywc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/BF-Resource-Guide-2018-09.pdf
Winona County
For information, contact: Robyn Hinz at 507-457-7736, Rhinz@winonahealth.org

Changes? Email barbking99@yahoo.com to update your
coalition’s contact information.

Resources

- - Invitation Letter and Survey template provided by Blue Earth County: Invite letter Blue Earth County
  - Breastfeeding Support Survey provided by Crow River Area Breastfeeding Coalition: Survey – Breastfeeding Support in Meeker, McLeod, and Sibley Counties

Click the link below for information about state, territory, and tribal breastfeeding coalitions across the country.

Directory of State/Territory/Tribal Breastfeeding Coalitions