SHIP coordinator talks food awareness, walkability, and lactation tent

Josh Hinke | July 27, 2025

A lactation tent will be returning to Fisherman’s Picnic this year to provide a safe space for families to feed and change their children.

Last year marked the first time the service was available to the public during one of the largest festivals in downtown Grand Marais.

“I don’t know if people saw it last year, but it was a nice tent with a changing table and a sitting area where you can nurse or feed your child. If you’re at Fish Pic this summer, I believe we’ll be near the dunk tank again,” said Kristina Campbell-Mattson, regional lactation support coordinator.

The tent’s primary purpose is to support lactating people who need to feed their babies or pump breast milk. However, anyone needing a moment to sit is welcome to use the space when it’s available.

“When it wasn’t being used for lactating people, elders sat and shared memories of their grandchildren or their babies. It was such a nice booth,” Campbell-Mattson added.

Food Access Council

Campbell-Mattson is also the State Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) coordinator for Cook County. As part of her role, she participates in the Food Access Council.

The council has been working to map food assets across Cook County and connect those resources to build an accessible and sustainable food system.

“Our last meeting included a field trip to the food shelf, where we learned about how it operates, the challenges it faces, and some of the great work being done to meet the growing need in the county,” Campbell-Mattson said.

Active Living Steering Committee

In her role as SHIP coordinator, Campbell-Mattson also serves on the Active Living Steering Committee, which focuses on Safe Routes to Schools and improving walkability in Cook County.

“We’re reviewing the pedestrian plan for Grand Marais, updating it to include all the improvements since 2020, such as the Highway 61 project and new trails,” she explained. “Our goal is to keep Grand Marais as walk- and bike-friendly as possible.”

WTIP spoke with Campbell-Mattson about her work with SHIP, and the recording of that interview is available below.