Mission
About Queen City Cocoa B.E.A.N.S.
People are often more likely to do something when they see someone who looks like them doing it.” -Rachel Dean, Executive Director
Mission...
QCCB assists new and expectant families of color in improving their overall quality of health and in achieving a more balanced lifestyle through nutrition counseling, lactation consulting, education, and support.
Vision...
QCCB was founded to decrease healthcare inequities and disparities in chronic disease management and prevention for families of color. We also strive to build healthier communities and increase positive birth outcomes. Our vision is to:
Increase access to nutrition and lactation education and support among families in the Greater Charlotte Market and surrounding areas through classes, consultations, community groups and events .
Create an environment for new and expectant parents across all socioeconomic, educational, and ethnic backgrounds to initiate and sustain human milk feeding exclusively for six months and complimentary for as long as desired.
Support new lactation professionals in an effort to continue to diversify the field of lactation.
Encourage families to advocate for and make the best possible nutrition and lifestyle-related decisions for their children and themselves.
History...
Since 2013, QCCB has served families of color in the Greater Charlotte Market. One of the founding members of the group was working with the Charlotte chapter of Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE), an organization based out of Georgia. This group began soliciting volunteers (who would later also become founding members of QCCB) to complete ROSE initiatives. In an effort to achieve sustainability, utilize local resources and create a more Charlotte-based initiative, the decision was made to close the Charlotte Chapter of ROSE and birth QCCB.
Over the years QCCB has remained active while being an initiative of the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition followed by it’s most recent parent organization, Harmony Nutrition & Lactation, LLC. In 2020, QCCB became a stand-alone non-profit gaining 501(c)(3) status shortly thereafter.
