Just as “place” has been examined as a social determinant of health in various areas, the First Food Friendly Community Initiative (3FCI) explores the role of “place” in breastfeeding duration and success by implementing community-generated interventions to thereby improve infant and maternal health outcomes in vulnerable communities. The “We Love Osborn Babies” campaign Launched in Detroit’s Osborn neighborhood.

Teams of volunteers, including public health officials, community groups and students from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Wayne State University will take over the streets of the Osborn neighborhood to help fight high infant mortality rates and give Osborn bragging rights as the nation’s first official First Food Friendly Community!

The 3FCI team kicked-off  community surveying partnering with interns from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health and Wayne State University, along with volunteers from Black Mother’s Breastfeeding Association, Black Family Development and other local volunteers, the Osborn Neighborhood Alliance. The kick-off included an presentation overview of the 3FCI project by Project Director, Kimberly Seals-Allers, survey training and face-to-face surveying in the community.  Survey activities were followed by comprehensive focus group discussions held with Osborn moms and dads to gain further insight into the community’s perspectives, attitudes and opinions related to lifestyles and health in their neighborhood.

Please stay tuned for continuous updates on the project!