Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognized 13 WIC clinics in New England and New York with Loving Support Awards of Excellence for exemplary efforts in supporting breastfeeding mothers. These awards, presented during a virtual recognition ceremony today, mark USDA’s Breastfeeding Month, celebrated each August. Four from Vermont were honored: Middlebury District Office, in Middlebury; Rutland District Office, in Rutland; St Albans District Office, in St Albans; and Burlington District Office, in Burlington.
“WIC, which serves about half of all babies born in the country, promotes breastfeeding as breastmilk gives babies a healthy start and is good for moms too,” said Kurt Messner, Food and Nutrition Service Regional Administrator. “This award recognizes the hard work and effort that occurs at the State and local levels in supporting moms and helping them meet their breastfeeding goals.”
In New England and New York the following WIC clinics have been recognized with Gold or Gold Premier awards:
Gold Awards
In Connecticut, City of Hartford, in Hartford; Fair Haven Community, in New Haven; Optimus Health Care WIC Program, in Bridgeport; and Thames Valley Council for Community Action WIC Program, in New London and Norwich
In Maine, City of Bangor, in Bangor
In Massachusetts, Dorchester South Boston, in Dorchester; New Bedford, in New Bedford; and North Central, in Fitchburg
In New York, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, in Brooklyn
In Vermont, Middlebury District Office, in Middlebury; Rutland District Office, in Rutland; and St. Albans District Office, in St. Albans
Gold Premier Award: Vermont’s Burlington District Office, in Burlington
The award program was established to recognize local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities. The intent is to highlight successful models and motivate other local agencies to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion and support activities and ultimately increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants. Awards are given at three levels of performance: Gold, Gold Premiere, and Gold Elite.
Some breastfeeding support strategies championed by the Loving Support Award WIC clinics include:
• Prenatal breastfeeding surveys to identify needs and goals of WIC moms
• Immediate postpartum contacts with moms in hospitals
• Group meetings and education for moms
• Overcoming language barriers among WIC participants
• Inclusion and outreach events to highlight the health benefits of breastfeeding
• Community partnerships to create supportive breastfeeding networks and environments
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care. More information about the WIC program can be found at www.fns.usda.gov/WIC.
In addition to WIC, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services administers several other programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which together comprise America's nutrition safety net. For more information, visit www.fns.usda.gov.
Source: August 18, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture