MOUNT MORRIS, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded the Livingston-Wyoming WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Program with the Gold Breastfeeding Award of Excellence. The accolade recognizes the program for its outstanding efforts in promoting and supporting breastfeeding among local mothers.
This national award acknowledges local WIC agencies that have demonstrated exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities. To qualify, agencies must have maintained a breastfeeding peer counselor program for at least one year and implemented all components of the Food and Nutrition Service Breastfeeding Model for Peer Counseling.
The Livingston-Wyoming WIC's breastfeeding peer counseling program offers mom-to-mom support throughout the prenatal and postpartum experience, providing guidance and encouragement along a mother's breastfeeding journey. This initiative has played a pivotal role in increasing the practice of breastfeeding and duration rates among WIC participants in the Livingston and Wyoming county areas.
"Our team has worked so hard to provide these crucial services to local mothers," said the Livingston County Director of Community Health, Margaret Betette. “I don’t think there’s a more deserving group of people for this recognition. This award reflects our daily commitment to improving the health and well-being of local families."
WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides breastfeeding support, monthly benefits for healthy foods, nutrition counseling, and referrals to health care and other community services for eligible pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers of infants one year or younger, non-breastfeeding mothers of infants six months or younger, and children less than five years old. To learn more, visit the Livingston-Wyoming WIC website or call 585-243-7530.
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About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is home to more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.