Leaders of the Albany County Legislature, the Deputy County Executive, and Representatives of the County’s Department of Health supported and celebrated mothers across Albany County today, leading into Mother’s Day weekend.

Utilizing $150,000 allocated by the Legislature through the Albany County Improvement Initiative with support from the Albany County Executive, the Albany County Department of Health can provide more crucial supplies such as menstrual products, post-birth recovery items, and diapers to residents.

Beyond the Department’s continued maternal and child care services, the supplies bolster the Women and Infants Linking Lifetime Opportunities for Wellness (WILLOW) program that offers services, support, and health education to women of childbearing age (14-44) to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and their children.

In addition, Albany County officials will also be on hand at this weekend’s TulipFest to share information about measles vaccines, in light of the current measles outbreak in Texas that has over 663 confirmed cases, hospitalized 87, and led to two fatalities in school-aged children who lived in the outbreak area. The children were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions.

Additional photos are here.

Albany County Legislature Chairwoman Joanne Cunningham said: “My greatest joy in life has been becoming and being a mother. Through our partnerships with the County Executive and the Department of Health on programs like WILLOW, we are providing essential resources to women, birthing individuals, at-risk pregnant individuals, and babies during their crucial years of development. We are addressing the challenges many low-income individuals face when accessing essential resources. We want to get these supplies directly to communities in need and enhance the well-being and dignity of the mothers we serve.”

Albany County Legislature Deputy Chairwoman Wanda Willingham said: “Being a mother myself, I know that every other mother has three priorities: keep my baby safe, keep my baby healthy, and keep my baby fed. This program helps make those priorities easier to accomplish, especially for mothers in historically neglected areas of the county. Mothers are heroes and we want to ensure their utility belts are always full.”

Albany County Legislature Democratic Majority Leader Dennis Feeney said: “Strong families deserve strong support—and here in Albany County, we’re taking real action to ensure parents and children have what they need to stay healthy and safe. At a time when women’s reproductive rights are under attack across the country, we’re standing up for access to care, family planning, and essential items like diapers, menstrual products, and post-birth recovery supplies—things too many families still go without. No one should suffer because of a preventable illness or a lack of resources and information. The tragic deaths of two unvaccinated children from measles are more than heartbreaking—they’re a wake-up call. Every family deserves accurate health information and the tools to protect their loved ones.”

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said: “Every mother deserves to feel supported, not just during pregnancy but in those crucial days and weeks after birth. This expansion of the Women & Infants Linking Lifetime Opportunities for Wellness (WILLOW) will ease the burden and provide immediate, tangible support. Together, we will continue to address the everyday challenges that families face in Albany County while improving women's health and birth outcomes.”