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Sept. 3, 2024                                                                                      Justin Hubbard

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Northeast Health District WIC staff earns national award

The Northeast Health District recently earned a nationwide distinction from the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA honored the Northeast Health District with its Gold Level Breastfeeding Award of Excellence for the district’s breastfeeding promotion and support in the Women, Infants and Children program.

This award celebrates the WIC-related efforts throughout the 10-county district, which consists of Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton counties. Per the USDA’s website, the breastfeeding award program is designed to recognize exemplary local WIC breastfeeding programs, provide models to motivate other agencies to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion and support activities, with the goal to ultimately increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants.

“Our district could not have earned this award without the tireless efforts of our entire WIC staff,” said Northeast Health District nutrition services director Chelsea Freeman. “The clerical staff members are the first stop for breastfeeding promotion and referral, nutritionists and registered dietitians offer breastfeeding education, and our peer counselors and Buddy Specialists provide breastfeeding encouragement and support.”

The Northeast Health District was one of five districts throughout Georgia to earn this distinction for 2024. To earn this award, the district’s WIC program demonstrated a commitment to addressing the needs of mothers and children who rely on WIC services. This includes ensuring that all peer counselors and lactation consultants regularly train on best practices. WIC also develops and maintains community partnerships to help reach more people in need of WIC services. Award eligibility is also determined by whether the WIC program maintains a positive, encouraging clinic environment.

WIC is a federally funded health and nutrition program providing women and young children in low-income families with services to help improve pregnancy outcomes, reduce infant mortality and give children a healthy start through nutritious food and education. These services include nutrition counselling education, breastfeeding support and coaching, a health resource library plus electronic eWIC card for supplemental foods.

To learn more about WIC’s services and your potential eligibility, visit NortheastHealthDistrict.org/WIC.

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