Home ESTILOS-INFORMAAPOYO SOCIAL WIC Breastfeeding Award Of Excellence Winners Local Clinics Among Awardees

WIC Breastfeeding Award Of Excellence Winners Local Clinics Among Awardees

by Soraya Alcalá

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack proclaimed August 1-7, 2021, National WIC Breastfeeding Week in appreciation of breastfeeding mothers and all the dedicated volunteers, professionals, communities, and organizations who support their efforts.

In support, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced its WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence winners. More than 100 awards were handed out across the country, including 28 in the southeast region.

“USDA established the award program to recognize WIC local agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support to WIC moms,” said Willie C. Taylor, FNS Southeast Regional Administrator.  “The intent is to provide models to help other WIC clinics strengthen their breastfeeding programs to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates nationwide.”

A major goal of the WIC Program is to improve the health of babies and moms through breastfeeding; WIC serves about half of all babies born in the country and is uniquely positioned to help moms successfully breastfeed.

In the southeast region, the following WIC Clinics have received Gold Awards: 

Florida

Duval County

Monroe County

Nassau County

Pinellas County

Georgia

Coastal Health District 9-1

Cobb & Douglas Public Health

Dekalb County Board of Health

District 3-4 East Metro Health District

District 4 Lagrange Health Services

District 1-1 Northwest Georgia Public Health

Southwest Georgia Health District 8-2

West Central Health District

Kentucky

Clark County Health Department

Greenup County Health Department

Lawrence County Health Department

Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness

Mississippi

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

North Carolina

Albemarle Regional Health Services

Brunswick County

Richmond County Health Department

Union County

Tennessee

Hamilton County

Metro-Davidson County

Mid Cumberland Region

Northeast Tennessee Region

South Central Region of Tennessee

Sullivan County

Upper Cumberland Region

The award is given at three levels of performance that build on one another – Gold, Premiere, and Elite. 

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – better 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 WIC can be found at www.fns.usda.gov/WIC.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov.

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