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either of us would have made it through even one month of breastfeeding without Jack Newman’s help. The Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute (NBCI) gave us, and countless other nursing moms, information, support and treatment that we just couldn’t find anywhere else. And it’s not just the clinic–Newman himself responded to our panicked midnight emails and his website, books and DVDs are invaluable resources to moms everywhere.

Unfortunately, government funding for the NBCI has recently been pulled and the center is in danger of closing, which is really bad news for any mother who’s finding breastfeeding more than she bargained for. Fortunately, you can help by:

1. Logging onto the Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation and making a donation to the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute. (canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org)

2. Voicing your concerns. If you live in Ontario and have been helped by the NBCI, or have had difficulty getting breastfeeding help through your hospital, become an angry letter writer. (It’s surprisingly easy and good for an adrenaline rush.) Address your concerns to George Smitherman, Ontario’s Minister of Health, at: [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected].

s entrepreneurs ourselves, we felt Kiva offered a perfect fit when it came to giving back. At kiva.org, you can loan money to budding entrepreneurs all over the developing world, “empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty.” You just select a small business owner to support, such as a seamstress in Cambodia or a baker in Afganistan, and then chart their progress, knowing you have helped them toward their quest for economic independence.

So far, we’ve helped Nohemi Guadalupe in Mexico and Marleni Victor Felipe in the Dominican Republic. For more information about how you can help, please visit kiva.org.

Marleni Victor Felipe is 26 years old and is married with four children, all girls. Marleni used to sell chicken in her community, but she got sick and was not able to keep up her business. Now she is starting over by selling small convenience items out of a little store in the front room of her house. She currently sells gum, snacks, and diapers, but soon hopes to increase her inventory so she can better support her family.

Nohemi Guadalupe lives in Mexico and is married with two children. When her husband lost his job, Nohmei sold hamburgers at night to support her family–now her business is their main source of income. We sent Nohemi a loan to help her buy a larger grill and build a roof to help protect her customers from the rain, thereby expanding her business and making more money for her family.