What is Shaping Buncombe?
Shaping Buncombe is an initiative to improve early childhood health by promoting healthy eating, physical activity, breastfeeding, farm to preschool, oral health, and improved outdoor play spaces for children ages birth to five in 4 & 5 star child care centers.
Shaping Buncombe helps child care centers develop environments and policies that encourage young children to be healthy. Five major programs are used to support the implementation of Shaping Buncombe: Be Active Kids, Go NAP SACC (Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care), the Natural Learning Initiative, Farm to Preschool, and Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute.
Shaping Buncombe provides technical assistance, coaching, and training for child care centers in Buncombe County that want to improve practices.
Check out the BPFC Training Calendar for upcoming Shape professional development opportunities
Centers interested in participating should complete this interest form to schedule an initial consultation. All services are provided at no cost.
Mini-grants are available to participating child care facilities for each best practice reached on the NAP-SACC assessment by June 1 each year. Centers participating in the technical assistance process may receive $250 for each new best practice achieved up to $1,000 per center. Funds are limited and awards are paid out upon receipt of completed documentation.
More information is available:
Who Does the Work of Shaping Buncombe?
For more information, please contact:
Natasha Bowden, Shape Specialist
Phone: (828) 407-2063
Email: natasha@buncombepfc.org
Shape Collaborative
2021-2022 Shape Collaborative Members
2020-2021 Shape Collaborative Members
- Black Mountain Head Start
- Eliada
- Evolve Early Learning
- Rainbow Community School
- St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
- The Christine Avery Learning Center
- Verner Central
- YWCA
2019 Shape Collaborative Members
Shape Resources
- ASAP Growing Minds: Resources for parents and teachers on healthy foods, gardening, recipes
- Let’s Move: Resources for families
Healthy Communities: Making Buncombe Breastfeeding Friendly
In partnership with Buncombe County Health and Human Services and the Buncombe County Breastfeeding Coalition, BPFC is working to make Buncombe County a breastfeeding friendly community. Supporting breastfeeding supports healthy families, and healthy families strengthen our workforce and community. If you are interested in learning how to be a breastfeeding friendly workplace, business, or child care center, please contact Natasha Bowden at natasha@buncombepfc.org.
Resources
- CGBI 10 steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community
- Buncombe County Breastfeeding Friendly Proclamation
- Business Case for Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Designation Program
- Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute
- City of Asheville Breastfeeding Friendly Proclamation
- Family Forward NC’s Support for Breastfeeding Mothers
- La Leche League of Buncombe County
- Making it Work Toolkit -The Making It Work Tool Kit is a resource to help breastfeeding mothers return to work. It is designed to provide assistance to breastfeeding mothers, their employers and their families
- WIC Breastfeeding Support Resources