Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

(February 19, 2019) The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort is the most recent employer to earn recognition as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace through participation with the Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities project in the North Country. The recognition certificate was presented to General Manager Todd Papineau and Assistant General Manager Emily Lauzon at the ribbon cutting ceremony for new lactation rooms in the Casino and Human Resources Administration buildings on Thursday, January 31st.

Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities (CBFC) is an initiative of the New York State Health Department intended to establish a breastfeeding friendly care continuum from pregnancy through infancy and reduce disparities in the prevalence of breastfeeding in New York State. The local grantee, Clinton County Health Department, with subcontractor the Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country, recruit employers, health care offices, and childcare providers in communities throughout a five-county area to increase support for breastfeeding families.

Staff from the Casino's Human Resources, Facilities, and other departments have spent the past few months working through the process required by the CBFC grant to receive Breastfeeding Friendly recognition. This included the implementation of a written policy supporting the right of nursing employees to pump milk at work, along with providing furnished lactation spaces in which to do so. Lauren Mitchell, Home Based Childcare Subsidy Coordinator under SRMT shared the information about the grant with her father Ernie Mitchell, Facilities Shift Manager, Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort. The project was born from there stated Sheila King, Human Resource Director.

Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities provided furnishings for the newly constructed lactation rooms, including comfortable chairs, hospital grade pumps, refrigerators, and signage to indicate the availability of the Mother's Room spaces.

Left to right: Sara Allen, Emily Lauzon, Natalie Adams, Rachel Jacobs, Hannah Rourke, and Todd Papineau.

"AMCR has been an advocate for breastfeeding mothers since it opened its doors in 1999, a room was put together at that time for our mothers to pump. With the help of Sara Allen with Child Care Council, AMCR has put together a "state of the art Mother's Room," stated Emily Lauzon, Assistant General Manager.

CBFC Project Director with the Child Care Council Sara Allen said, "Breastfeeding is known to be one of the most important healthy behaviors for mothers and babies. The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort's staff has truly done an amazing job in demonstrating their commitment to helping employees meet their goals to continue the benefits of breastfeeding for themselves and their children, while returning to work after the birth of a baby."

For more information about Breastfeeding Friendly sites, interested businesses or organizations can contact Sara Allen at (518) 561-4999.