(Photo courtesy of Central Oregon Locavore)
Central Oregon Locavore today launched Baby Rx, a new program that gives breastfeeding and infant nutrition supplies to low-income, at-risk, and NICU families across Central Oregon at no cost. The program is funded at launch by a $3,000 grant from the Central Oregon Health Quality Alliance (COHQA), along with $1,000 gifts each from First Interstate Bank and East Cascade Women’s Group. First Interstate provided the initial $1,000 to found the new program.
Healthcare providers across the region routinely see new parents face barriers to successful breastfeeding: the cost of supplies, lack of insurance coverage, NICU disruptions, trauma, and stress. Baby Rx removes the cost and stress barrier. A healthcare provider completes a simple prescription form and faxes it to Locavore, and the family picks up exactly what’s prescribed, at no charge. The program will be piloted in partnership with the St. Charles Lactation team for a period of 3-6 months, then rolled out to additional neonatal and pediatric providers.
“In my 25 years of caring for babies and mothers, I have watched families choose between breastfeeding supplies and rent,” said Nicolle Timm-Branch, founder and executive director of Central Oregon Locavore and a registered nurse with St. Charles for 25 years. “Baby Rx means no parent in Central Oregon has to make that choice. We see the prescription, we fill it, we show them that we care about them, and that family walks out the door with what their baby needs.”
Timm-Branch continues, “Initially, I had wanted to have a bit more in the fund before launching the program, so we didn’t run the risk of drawing it down to zero too quickly, but I decided that we couldn’t wait any longer, and trust that the funds will come to us.”
Baby Rx operates as a rolling fund: as families redeem prescriptions and the fund is spent down, it must be continually replenished through community giving to remain available year-round. Locavore is inviting the community to contribute to the fund with a one-time donation or on an ongoing monthly basis. Visit our website to donate, because every baby deserves a healthy start.
About Central Oregon Locavore:
Central Oregon Locavore is a Bend-based nonprofit marketplace connecting local farmers, ranchers, and producers directly with Central Oregon families. Founded 17 years ago on a farmer-first model, Locavore returns 65 cents of every marketplace dollar directly to regional producers. The organization supports more than 150 local farms and makers and is committed to building a resilient, accessible, and community-centered regional food economy.
