By Aimee Teslaw
This year Breastfeeding USA was the recipient of a generous gift from a company that makes helpful products for breastfeeding moms and loves to give back, too. Meet Kate Doti and Sarah Gray, founding mothers of jay elle by JL Childress. Kate and Sarah, sisters and each a mother of two, have dedicated their careers to making breastfeeding and working easier for moms, both by making stylish and practical breast pump bags, and by committing themselves to family, support and encouragement, and philanthropy.
The sisters’ commitment to family is clear: Kate and Sarah were inspired to create jay elle by their mother, who, in the 1980’s, created the JL Childress brand of products to make her own life as an employed breastfeeding mother easier. In fact, the jay elle brand name is a tribute to their mother Jan’s first two initials, and the logo’s typeface is styled after her handwriting.
As mothers who are employed outside the home and away from their children during the day, Kate and Sarah know the importance of support. At work they can rely on one another, and they have made it their mission to bring a sense of community and support to their brand. Each pump bag comes with a booklet of resources and encouragement to help a pumping mom on her journey. Having been raised in a family that emphasizes the importance of giving back, another part of their business’s mission is philanthropy, and since the inception of their brand in August of 2016, Kate and Sarah have committed to donating $1 for every bag purchased to a breastfeeding-supportive organization. This is how we came to know them at Breastfeeding USA.
We are grateful for jay elle’s donation, and for the company’s commitment to some of the same values we hold dear at Breastfeeding USA; there is never too much support for moms and families. Be sure to check out their social media feeds for encouragement and support. You can find them on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram.
Aimee Teslaw
Aimee Teslaw is the Funding and Development Chair of Breastfeeding USA and a Breastfeeding Counselor in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
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