MARWICT . I . M . E . SM I D - AT L A N T I C R E G I O N S U P P L E M E N TA L N U T R I T I O N P R O G R A M F O R W O M E N , I N FA N T S , A N D C H I L D R E N

� MD Hospitals andWIC Work Togetherto SupportBreastfeedingFamilies .................Page 2

� MARO CelebratesNational NutritionMonth.................Pages 4-7

� VNACJ WICProgram Celebrates“Acceptance”During AutismAwareness Month.................Page 8

� WV WIC isCelebratingConnections.................Page11

SUMMER 2017

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S MARY’S CENTER WIC DIRECTOR RECEIVES LEADERSHIP AWARD

AT THE NATIONAL WIC ASSOCIATION CONFERENCEBy Paulette Thompson, MS, RDN, LDN, CLS

In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Akua(Odi) Boateng, local agency WIC Director at Mary’sCenter in Washington, DC, received a National WIC

Association (NWA) Leadership award at the Annual NWAconference in Philadelphia this April. The award was pre-sented by the Rev. Douglas A. Greenaway, NWA President& CEO, and Donna Bister, Chair of the Board of Directors.Boateng was recognized for her advocacy for the WICProgram, her strong leadership skills, and her commitmentto improving the WIC experience for participants.

Among the many achievements cited in her nomina-tion, was Boateng’s ability to foster partnerships in theneighboring community. She has established partnershipswith local schools, the DC farmer’s market collaborative,food access organizations, parenting organizations, andmore. Through these partnerships, her participants havereceived additional services and resources such as donatedfood items during the holidays, diapers and car seats. Boateng strives to improve the clinic experience for par-ticipants. She has expanded site hours to evenings andSaturdays and hired bilingual staff (both Spanish andAmharic) to ensure participants feel comfortable andunderstood when they are at the WIC site. She imple-mented tele-medicine to ensure that participants areappropriately assessed and counseled by a licensed nutri-tionist even if one is not available at a particular site. Shepiloted a very successful program to bring community-supported agriculture bags of fresh fruits and vegetablesinto the WIC site to make it convenient for participants tospend their Farmers’ Market vouchers. As a result of theseefforts, Mary’s Center achieved an increase in participationin fiscal year 2016, truly an achievement at a time when

many WIC sitesnationally areexperiencingdeclines in participation.

Expandingbreastfeedingsupport is also apriority at Mary’sCenter. ThroughBoateng’s leader-ship, the DCDepartment ofHealth providedfunding for a collaborationbetween theMary’s CenterHome VisitationProgram and WIC to enable WIC Peer Counselors to visitbreastfeeding moms in their homes right after delivery.Mary’s Center has also piloted implementation of thePacify phone app to provide new mothers breastfeedingsupport 24/7. As a result, Mary’s Center breastfeeding rates consistently remain among the highest in the Districtof Columbia.

The District of Columbia WIC Program is proud to haveOdi Boateng as a part of our team. Her innovations andher knowledge of the WIC Program elevate and empowerher staff and colleagues in DC WIC. Congratulations Odion a well-deserved award! �

AND THE AWARD GOES TO… —Odi Boateng, Mary’s Center WIC, pictured with Donna Bitzer, Chair of the Board of Directors, NWA, and Rev. Douglas Greenaway,President and CEO, NWA.

The MARWIC TIMES newsletter is now available online at www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks

PENNSYLVANIA WIC’S ACHD HOSTS OUTREACH DAYBy Jessica Smith, Outreach Coordinator

Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County Health Department WIC Program ralliedtogether on Wednesday, April 5, in our first annual Outreach Day. Staff mem-bers partnered up and visited local sites to raise community awareness and

understanding of the Pennsylvania WIC Program. Places of interest included medicalfacilities, community service agencies, post-secondary education sites, libraries, day-cares and borough buildings. Each team was equipped with outreach folders, tearsheets, rack cards and small promotional items. Outreach folders included breast-feeding materials, WIC flyers, applications and an order form to encourage ongoingreferrals and use of WIC materials. WIC teams were encouraged to create a point ofcontact person at each site to build a lasting partnership.

The hard work of the ACHD WIC staff paid off in a big way; invitations havealready been extended for WIC representation at new community events and pro-grams. Local sites have also reached out requesting presentations to their staff.

ACHD looks forward to continuing the tradition of Outreach Day! �

PROMO — These materialswere offered to all the organiza-tions visited by WIC staff ontheir inaugural Outreach Day.

HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY WIC FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM!By Jeanne Hutchins

Of the many significant events that took place in 1992: DNA fingerprinting was invented,Minnesota’s Mall of America was built, Microsoft released Windows 3.1 and the finalepisode of the “Golden Girls” aired (hey, it was important for some of us). One of the

most significant events for women, infants and children happened in July when then PresidentGeorge H.W. Bush signed the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Act. This resulted in the creationof the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). The FMNP authorized states to receive grantsto: (1) provide nutritious unprepared, locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and cut herbs fromauthorized farmers/farmers’ markets/roadside stands to eligible women, infants, and childrenwho are nutritionally at risk; and (2) promote awareness and use of farmers’ markets andincrease their sales.

In 2016, over 1.6 million eligible WIC recipients - women, infants (over 4 months old) andchildren - received FMNP vouchers to purchase fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grownfruits, vegetables and cut herbs at their local farmers market. While statistics are impressive,what can’t be measured is the farmers’ market experience. Wandering through the market filledwith a wide variety of local merchants displaying their products, meeting the local farmers andlearning about the produce they grow, much of which was picked from the field that morning.

The FMNP helps local farmers expand their sales which provide economic support to localcommunities. In 2016, almost 18,000 farmers participated in the FMNP. According to theFarmers’ Market Coalition, an impact study conducted by Civic Economics, locally owned retail-ers like farmers’ markets return more than three times as much of their revenue to the localeconomy than do their corporate competitors. This means farmers’ market purchases not onlyprovide you with fresh, healthy food, but recycle money throughout your community, boostingeconomic activity and job creation.

Check out your local farmers market this summer for events celebrating the 25th anniversaryof the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. Buy local and stay healthy! �

MARWIC TIMES is funded bythe United States Departmentof Agriculture, Mid-AtlanticRegion Office as a discretionary project of New Jersey WIC.

Cindy Weiss-Fisher, MS, RD ..........Project Manager NJ WIC Services

Christina Balas ...............................Creative Director

Lisa Arnold.....................................Editor

Please submit articles or story ideas for

MARWIC TIMES to your State Editor

at the State WIC Office Address.

Delaware.......................Joanne White

District of Columbia......Paulette Thompson, MS,

RDN, LDN, CLS

Maryland.......................Debbi Morgan, Nicole Slater

New Jersey ....................Cindy Weiss-Fisher, MS, RD

Pennsylvania .................Bonnie Mellott

Puerto Rico ...................Lourdes I. Romero Reyes

Virgin Islands .................Lorna Concepcion, MS, RD

Virginia..........................Natalie Pennywell, MPH, CHES

West Virginia ................Meredith M. Davis

MARO, USDA...............Jennifer Nagy, MPH, RD

In accordance with Federal civil rights law andU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rightsregulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies,offices, and employees, and institutions participatingin or administering USDA programs are prohibitedfrom discriminating based on race, color, nationalorigin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation forprior civil rights activity in any program or activityconducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternativemeans of communication for program information(e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American SignLanguage, etc.), should contact the Agency (State orlocal) where they applied for benefits. Individualswho are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabil-ities may contact USDA through the Federal RelayService at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, programinformation may be made available in languagesother than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination,complete the USDA Program DiscriminationComplaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at:http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html,and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed toUSDA and provide in the letter all of the informationrequested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit yourcompleted form or letter to USDA by:

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442 or

(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

MARYLAND HOSPITALS AND WIC WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING FAMILIESBy Amy Resnik, MS, RD, CSP, LDN, IBCLC, Breastfeeding Coordinator, Maryland WIC Program

Since May 2014, sevenMaryland hospitalshave achieved the pres-

tigious Baby Friendly desig-nation. To do so, each hasworked to implement the 10Steps to SuccessfulBreastfeeding, which weredeveloped jointly by theWorld Health Organization(WHO) and UNICEF, andpublished by WHO. All have undergone a sitevisit audit to verify thatbreastfeeding-supportive prac-tices are in place. Maryland’sDepartment of Health &Mental Hygiene’s Hospital Breastfeeding Policy Committee, which includes several WIC staff, has recognized each of the Baby Friendly Hospitals with a banner highlighting theirachievement.

In attaining this designation, hospitals work to improve mother-baby care practices so themessaging and actions assist mother/baby dyads with meeting their breastfeeding goals, and edu-cate those who have opted not to breastfeed to ensure that feedings given are safe and correctlyreconstituted.

Baby Friendly also recognizes the need for continued breastfeeding support and guidancebeyond the short birth hospital stay. Included within the 10 steps is a component (step 10) whichfocuses on ongoing support. Networking with community resources, including WIC, and possi-bly establishing breastfeeding support groups, are important parts of meeting this step. WIC staffactively work with the Baby Friendly hospitals (and those working to achieve this designation) tocreate pathways for continued breastfeeding support beyond the hospital, and in doing so assisttheir area hospitals in getting the Baby Friendly designation.

Research shows higher breastfeeding rates are achieved when Baby Friendly practices are inplace. Maryland WIC anticipates greater breastfeeding outcomes from WIC participants whohave access to one of the Baby Friendly Hospitals. �

DESIGNATED FRIENDLY — The staff at a local Maryland hospitalshows off its Baby Friendly designation banner.

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By Jennifer Nagy, MPH, RD

In January, the USDA Mid-Atlantic RegionalOffice (MARO) for the Food and NutritionService (FNS) initiated a Local Food Systems

Advisory Council. The USDA is engaged inlocal and regional food systems through a vari-ety of agencies and activities, from increasingthe supply of local foods, to supporting infra-structure development, to increasing access tothese products for consumers. The FNS mis-sion is to increase food security and reducehunger by providing children and low-incomepeople access to food, a healthful diet andnutrition education in a way that supportsAmerican agriculture and inspires public confi-dence. Improving access to local foods is aclear avenue to fulfilling this mission. The MARO Local Food Systems initiative is focused

on supporting the development of regional andlocal food systems that will increase access tohealthy foods for FNS program participants.

The Advisory Council is made up of repre-sentatives from all FNS program areas includ-ing WIC, the Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program (SNAP), the SchoolsNutrition Program, Summer Food ServiceProgram (SFSP) and the Child and Adult CareFood Program (CACFP) along with members ofthe MARO Public Affairs and GrantsManagement and Administrative ServicesDepartments. The Council has developed a Strategic Action Plan that supports agency priorities and contains specific objectives and action steps that involve the different FNSprograms. One of the objectives includes the

evaluation and analysis of regional and nation-al redemption data of farmers’ market checks.The Council will try to determine best prac-tices that lead to increased redemption offarmers’ market benefits. In addition, theCouncil will identify barriers to participationand develop strategies to overcome specificbarriers in targeted communities.

Anyone interested in sharing innovativeideas for increasing redemption rates or pro-viding insight into challenges to participationis encouraged to contact Jennifer Nagy atJennifer.Nagy@fns.usda.gov or Jeanne Hutchinsat Jeanne.Hutchins@fns.usda.gov. �

NEWS FROM THE USDA: MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE STARTS LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS ADVISORY COUNCIL

WRAPPED OUTREACH VEHICLE REACHES CUSTOMERS ON THE ROAD IN PENNSYLVANIA’S LANCASTER COUNTYBy M. Chaplin Mazzocchi, Outreach Coordinator, CAP of Lancaster County WIC Program

The Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County (PA) WIC Program is pleased to announce our outreach vehicle, which is promotingWIC on the road. The car is for staff use and mostly utilized by the outreach coordinator, Chaplin Mazzocchi. It is a brilliantly bright adver-tisement for the WIC Program in Lancaster County.

On a weekly basis the car is driven to at least four community partner locations. While parked, the car is on display for all to see. The wrap onthe car includes images of the services WIC provides, such as health screenings, nutrition information, healthy foods and breastfeeding support.The car has the contact information for the local agency and the state agency website. On the weekends, when not in use, the car is strategicallyparked at Lancaster General Health’s Suburban Outpatient Pavilion, right beside our mobile clinic, WIC on Wheels (WOW). The vehicle is a pro-motionally innovative way to increase the Lancaster County WIC program’s visibility in the community. �

IT’S A WRAP — Right side view of the wrapped Hyundai Elantra.TAKING THE MESSAGE TO THE STREETS — Rear viewof the wrapped Hyundai Elantra.

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This year, National Nutrition Month wastaken over by Darth Vader and the StarWars force. With the theme for the

month being “Put Your Best Fork Forward”, NJ’sSt. Joseph’s WIC Program focused on Star Warsand its well-known slogan, but added a twist,“May the Forks be With You,” as a means ofattraction and décor for the office, executed bythe entire agency and decorations made byWIC Nutritionists Yasmene Alawi andJosephine Valenzuela.

The celebration took place on March 30,allowing our WIC families to participate in ourbig event. The attractions included fun gamessuch as bowling and a spaceship toss game. Aselfie frame and Darth Vader photo booth pro-

vided children the opportunity to join the forceby becoming Darth Vader and his friends.Face painting options to select from were R2-D2, spaceships, stars, Stormtroopers, DarthVader, and other well-known Star Wars logos,that were excellently painted by MontclairState University Intern, Shereen Alawi.

Nutritionists played a part by presenting atable with My Bowl. This table set-up consist-ed of ingredients such as cereal, yogurt, fruitsand spices presented in a buffet style toencourage variety. Delicious smoothies weresampled, giving ideas to parents on how toincorporate WIC-approved fresh or frozen fruitsand vegetables in different ways. Recipes forthese quick and nutritious snacks were estab-

lished by WIC Nutritionists Jessica Dominguezand Patricia Santelli.

The main attraction of our festival was the“Wall of Fame” which was introduced by WICNutritionist Manni Bhalla. Children and par-ents used Star Wars character thought bubblesto share their thoughts about nutrition and theWIC Program. All children left excited withtheir goody bags and their parents with moreknowledge. It was a successful day filled withentertainment and learning for all ages. Nextyear shall be bigger and better. With that said, “May the forks be with you!” �

NEW JERSEY’S ST. JOSEPH’S WIC NNM TAKES STAR WARS TWISTBy Josephine Valenzuela & Alba Luna, WIC Nutritionists, St. Joseph’s WIC Program

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS — Agency staff gotinto the spirit by dressing up and hosting the My Bowl buffet table.

WORK OF ART — The Star Wars Wall of Famewas completed by WIC participants.

FORK FUN — WIC repesentative Angel Vargaspromotes the NNM theme.

MARO CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

WEST VIRGINIA’S MCDOWELL COUNTY WIC CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTHBy Diane Landy, Local Agency Outreach Coordinator

In honor of National Nutrition Month, WIC Nutrition Associate Kim Rose andWIC Nutrition Assistant Dameta Brown-Carter planned and hosted a celebra-tory healthy-eating workshop in March for mothers and children in

McDowell County at the TSN/WIC Clinic in downtown Welch, WV. TSN/WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator Kathy Rotenberry was on hand to speak

with expectant mothers about the benefits of the most nutritious food forbabies: breastmilk. She pointed out that “any amount of breastfeeding is bene-ficial,” and that breastfed infants have a reduced risk of asthma and infections.In addition, she discussed the many advantages for mothers who choose breast-feeding: a reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and postpartumdepression.

Jennifer Graham, Adult Health Educator with WVU Extension Service, fol-lowed with a presentation highlighting several programs offered by the WVUExtension Service: Eating Smart Being Active, Eating Smart During Pregnancy,and NEAT (Nutrition Aimed at Toddlers), and more.

Participants were then treated to a healthy fruit parfait made by WVUExtension Service dietitian Loren Wells and received special WIC gift bags containing healthy eating tips, calendars, planners, and seed packets. Gift bags were given out to all participants throughout the month of March at theWelch clinic.

The 2017 campaign “Put Your Best Fork Forward” focused on how each bite counts. Rose and Brown-Carter agree that this event was a success in helping WIC participants be mindful of developing healthy eating habitsthroughout the year. �

PHOTO OP — Pictured (left to right) are Nutrition Assistant Dameta Brown-Carter, Nutrition Associate Kim Rose, Adult Health Educator Jennifer Graham, and Dietitian Loren Wells.

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NUTRITION MONTH IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDSBy Lorna Concepcion, MS, RD

WIC staff in theVirgin Islandscelebrated

National NutritionMonth with a variety of activities among theislands. In St. Thomas,WIC staff took to theWIC grocery stores andbecame personal shop-pers for participantsshowing them the vari-ety of WIC foods thatthey can try andencouraging them totry new foods. WICparticipant CarolieHendricks said, “Ialways shop for fruits,not vegetables anddecided to buy thebroccoli to try thebroccoli salad thatWIC had as a foodsampler at the grocerystore.” Such an activitydemonstrates that par-ticipants would try newfoods if they taste themin recipes, which is why our staff often have food demonstrations in our clinics. Another WIC participant, Debra Carter, commented that the WIC food display was very helpful for her as she saw foods that she doesn’t usually buy and would try some of them.

On St. Croix, WIC staff set up a “Guess The Sugar Game” where participants had to guess the number of teaspoons of sugar in five popular food items. If they got all right they received a prize. Nutrition education on reducing sugar intake and good substitutes for foods with high sugar content were discussed.

WIC staff also had a taste session using vegetables and provided the recipes, some of which are in the recipe book, “It’s a Virgin Islands WICFamily Food Affair,” which was also distributed to participants. �

FRESH PICKINGS — WIC staffer Tasha Sobratti (right) andWIC participant Carolie Hendricks select fresh broccoli sothat she can prepare the broccoli salad she just sampled.

WIC TABLE IN AISLE THREE — WIC Staffers (right to left)WIC Director Lorna Concepcion, Julia John, Tasha Sobrattiand Carol Bareuther, with Pueblo manager, Mr. Corbin.

VIRGINIA’S THREE RIVERS CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTHBy Allison Foster, Dietetic intern, Three Rivers Health District

During 2017’s NationalNutrition Month, AllisonFoster, dietetic intern from

Virginia’s Three Rivers HealthDistrict, helped to encourage par-ticipants and staff to “Put Your BestFork Forward.”  A group nutritioneducation class, along with educa-tional worksheets, were developedand used during the month ofMarch.  At the end of each class,participants had the opportunity toenter a raffle for a daily gift basketprize.  A colorful bulletin boardwas also developed for preparing a healthy plate.  The tips helpedencourage families to incorporate a variety of healthy items into eachmeal.

National Nutrition Month was a great reminder that foods can be both delicious and healthy! �

GET THE MESSAGE — This creative display was part of the agency’sNational Nutrition Month education.

MARWIC TIMES Calendar

n The deadline for the Fall

issue of MARWIC TIMES is

August 11, 2017. Submit arti-

cles, photos and calendar

events to your State editor.

No Polaroid pictures. 5” x 7”

digital photos (saved as JPGs)

preferred. All photographs

must include a detailed

caption.

5

PUERTO RICO WIC CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTHBy Rayna Hichez Coste, LND, Nutrition and Dietetic Coordinator

March is a very specialmonth for all nutrition-ists and dietitians.

March is National NutritionMonth, when we celebrate whatwe preach on a day-to-day basis.Every year we promote goodnutrition and healthy lifestylehabits focusing in the importancethat our participants make oninformed food choices.

“For us in the Puerto RicoWIC Program, March is a veryimportant month because wecelebrate nutrition and nutritioneducation, which are the basis ofour Program. Our mission is to educate and promote good nutrition, for which is where ourefforts are being directed to,” commented Jeannette Canino, Nutritionist and PR WICExecutive Director.

With this in mind, Edel Guzmán, Acting Supervisor of PR WIC Nutrition Division,encouraged all WIC clinics staff to develop new and creative ways to promote this year’scampaign, “Put your best fork forward.” This year’s theme for National Nutrition Monthserved as a guide to inspire the community that small changes in their eating habits alsocount. Small changes add up over time, helping find a way to reach a healthy eating style.

Taking the campaign into action, Vega Baja WIC Clinic focused on teaching WIC partici-pants and/or their caregivers how to incorporate new and attractive strategies in preparinghealthy snacks. The Trinidad Fontánez Adorno Amphitheater, located at the local library inthe Vega Baja municipality, served as the scene to promote good nutrition. The activityincluded tips on portion control, the importance of physical activity, and last but not least,ways to incorporate healthy meals by making smarter food choices.

Nicolle Otero, one of our participants, shared a story called “The Giant Watermelon,” followed by a First Medical employee who was in charge of an educational talk aboutMyPlate, in which “Pipoto” the puppet delivered the message of “Nutrition and Exercise: Knowing your BMI.” Judging by the impact of the activity, the event was a memorable one. �

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MARO CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

SCENES FROM A SUCCESSFUL EVENT

NEW JERSEY’S PASSAIC WIC CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

New Jersey’s Passaic WICProgram celebrated NationalNutrition Month with the

participation of William PatersonUniversity Public Health InternKatiuska “Kat” Salazar. The “PutYour Best Fork Forward” theme andMyPlate were presented each weekthroughout the month. Clients wereable to participate in class activitiesand food tasting that promoted ourWIC-approved foods.

The activities and the food tast-ing were a success; most of theclients interacted in class and werewilling to try the foods offered. Afew responses from clients were:“I’d rather try it now than buyingthe whole bottle,” “I forgot thatpopcorn comes from the kernel – I thought it came from themicrowave,” and “that is why I buy low-fat milk and yogurt.” �

TEACHABLE MOMENT — William Paterson PublicHealth Intern Kat Salazar teaching classes duringNational Nutrition Month.

SEUSSAPALOOZA CELEBRATED IN

PHILIPPI, WEST VIRGINIABy Vickie Snyder, Nutritionist 1

The Philippi Public Library, Barbour CountyHealth Department, West Virginia’sRandolph Elkins WIC Program, and other

city organizations joined with the NationalEducation Association’s “Read Across AmericaDay” campaign to provide a wonderful event for the children of Barbour County.

The Seussapalooza took place on March 25,from 9 to noon. More than 50 children and theirparents enjoyed a day of fun activites.

The day started with a visit from “The Cat in the Hat” followed by a breakfast of green eggs and ham provided by The Market Place. The children then participated in a Seuss scavengerhunt throughout historic downtown Philippi. Theyheard lots of Seuss stories, made crafts, sang somewacky songs, played games and learned aboutmaking healthy food choices from WIC NutritionistMary Beth Linn. Children received a Seuss-likebook to take home and a great day was had by all. �

VIRGINIA’S CHESTERFIELD HEALTH DISTRICT CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTHBy Shelisha A. Brown, NDTR, WIC Nutritionist Associate

Virginia’s Chesterfield Health District put their “BestFork Forward” by participating in planned activi-ties during their celebration of National Nutrition

Month in March! During this month-long celebration,the Chesterfield Health Department staff reached intotheir pantries and donated canned goods which includedveggies, beans, fruit, and lots of soup for the ChesterfieldFood Bank. T here was a whopping total of 382 cannedgoods donated! WIC nutritionists, nutritionist associates,and nutritionist assistants also volunteered hours of theirtime at the Chesterfield Food Bank putting together boxesfor storage and sorting food to be given to some of thosein the community who need it most.

Throughout the month of March, the WIC staff alsoteamed up with the Virginia Cooperative Extension tobring the Cooking Matters at the Store Tour to WIC par-ticipants and others in the community. Cooking Mattersis a guided grocery store tour that gives tips on how toshop healthy, read food labels, and get the most bang foryour buck while shopping! Bilingual WIC staff fluent in English and Spanish also attended the grocery store tours as needed, to bridge the language-barrier gap for those whose dominant language is Spanish. One participant stated, “I learned that there’s a lot more you can buy with WIC than Ithought.” Another participant commented, “I learned don’t pay attention to the package, read the ingredient list.” The Chesterfield WIC staff, alongwith Virginia Cooperative Extension, was able to provide the Cooking Matters at the Store Tour to a total of 23 people during National NutritionMonth.

Lastly, getting in extra steps for better health was also encouraged. Staff of the Chesterfield Health District got some additional steps in duringtheir workday and at home to “walk it out” for the Annual WIC Walk. The Annual WIC Walk is a celebration of staff community involvement whilebringing National Nutrition Month to a close. �

LABELS MATTER — Shelisha Brown (left),Nutritionist Associate for the ChesterfieldHealth District’s WIC Program, reviews thefood labels of different canned good itemswith participants.

WHAT’S IN STORE AT THE STORE — AnnVargo, Nutrition Outreach Instructor forVirginia Cooperative Extension-ChesterfieldCounty, explains the difference in the typesof juices as it relates to sugar content during a discussion at the grocery store.

CONNECTING VNACJ WIC STAFF AND PARTICIPATING MOMS DURING NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

TO DEMONSTRATE MUTUAL SUPPORT AND BUILD A STRONGER WIC COMMUNITYBy Margaret Ferro, VNACJ WIC Program Nutrition Educator

At the VNACJ WIC Program, we witness first-time moms join our WIC community fromprenatal visits to birth, and most often, through the first five years of childhood. Someof these moms return for many years with new pregnancies, and as WIC staff, we

come to know them. Together, we are a community of women serving women, infants, andchildren. We connect repeatedly with each new pregnancy and birth, each new certificationand recertification, and with each graduation!

That is why this March – during National Nutrition Month (NNM) – the VNACJ WICProgram sites of Monmouth County, NJ celebrated this year’s NNM theme “Put Your Best ForkForward.” Both WIC staff members and WIC participants took part in this event. TheAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics reminded us in this campaign that each of us holds thefork to make healthier choices one small change at a time, and so we did – together.

We (the staff) began by selecting and committing to one small health-related change, andwriting our goal on a piece of paper. We then took individual photographs of each staff mem-ber and posted our goal next to our photograph. This visual aid travelled to each clinic andserved as the introduction to inviting WIC moms to join us during NNM to make one smallchange in March. When a mom decided on the change, she signed a commitment note and was entered into a $25 gift card raffle.

Both the staff and participants benefited from the community-wide participation and through each other’s example. Nutritionist AliciaHutchinson identified a need to build upper body strength by lifting soup cans for five minutes a day while preparing dinner for her family: a smallchange with big impact on our WIC community! Many moms were inspired by her choice. From her example, some moms could see that even thesmallest actions are worth beginning one month at a time. “I can do that for myself,” and “That’s easy enough,” are two examples of the feedbackwe received during the month from Alicia’s example.

Rachel Baer, Chief Nutritionist, took the opportunity to “jump-start” something she has wanted to do for some time. Rachel committed tostretching for 10 minutes before exercising daily, and she benefited from it. “The jump-start and being held accountable by making the initial com-mitment to make this change made a difference,” she said.

In an effort to capture just how effective this approach was, each participant’s goal was entered into their file in our database. This gives ournutritionists the ability to follow up on how successful each mom was at accomplishing her NNM goal at her subsequent appointment.

We had some fun playing with the fork theme as well. When a participant selected the change they wanted to make and entered our raffle, shewas offered a fork to toss into a basket of many other forks. Visually this helped participants to see just how many women in our community wereuniting for change. An impressive 300 WIC moms joined 23 WIC staff members during March to make one small change – and possibly one long-lasting impact – for themselves and their families! �

CHANGE IS GOOD — VNACJ WIC staff posingproudly alongside the display of their commitment tomake one healthy change in March for NationalNutrition Month.

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VIRGINIA ADVOCATE RECEIVES AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL WIC ASSOCIATIONBy Jarene Fleming, Virginia State Breastfeeding Coordinator

Virginia Activist Kate Noon, MSW, LCSW was the recipient of the National WIC Association Advocacy Leadership Award at the National WICAssociation 2017 Annual Education and Training Conference & Exhibits which was held in Philadelphia, PA, April 2-5. The conferencetheme was “Greater with WIC: Empowering Families, Strengthening Communities!” Noon’s efforts to protect, promote, and support breast-

feeding in the Commonwealth of Virginia perfectly complement that theme. She was instrumental in the 2015 passage of the Code of Virginia § 32.1-370 Right to breastfeed law which protects the rights of breastfeeding families.

Noon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and founder of the VA Alliance for Breastfeeding Laws, an advocacy network that works to strengthenstate breastfeeding protections. She holds certifications in Perinatal Mood Disorders and Aging Studies, is a Certified Lactation Counselor and birthdoula. Noon is the Program Director for Better Housing Coalition and serves as Board Chair for the international non-profit, Midwives for Haiti.She is a member of the Virginia Breastfeeding Taskforce and serves on the Virginia Breastfeeding Advisory Committee as a representative of theVirginia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Noon is a member of the Richmond City Health District’s Richmond Health ActionAlliance and has collaborated on the RVA Breastfeeds and Breastfeeding Welcome Here campaigns, which strive to support and improve the culture of breastfeeding in the City of Richmond. She has led grassroots organizing and advocacy efforts, and frequently spearheads lobbying campaigns at the Virginia General Assembly. The right to breastfeed law improves the lives of all mothers, children, and families in Virginia nowand for generations to come.

Noon was presented with her award by National WIC Association, President & CEO, Rev. Douglas Greenaway & Board Chair, Donna Bister onApril 3 during the awards ceremony. �

VNACJ WIC PROGRAM CELEBRATES “ACCEPTANCE” DURING AUTISM AWARENESS MONTHBy Zakiya Stewart, WIC Nutrition Educator, and Rachel Baer, RD, WIC Program Supervisor

Throughout themonth of April, theVNACJ WIC

Program clinics in NewBrunswick, NJ and PerthAmboy, NJ celebratedAutism Awareness Monthby giving WIC participantsinformation about autismand its effects on the com-munity. As part of thisevent, WIC participantsand their children weregiven the opportunity to color the AutismAwareness Puzzle Ribbon.The Puzzle Ribbon is theuniversal sign of autismawareness – it symbolizesthe complexity of autismand the people and fami-lies living with this condi-tion. This symbol meansmany different things todifferent people. Whatdoes the Puzzle Ribbonmean to the VNACJ WICProgram? It meansAcceptance: acceptanceof a disability, of diversity,and of children whosebehavior may seem “puz-zling” to us. Just as thebright colors of the ribbonare meant to signify hope,WIC hopes that communi-cation and conversationwill help promote mutualrespect for all of our differ-ences. �

WALL OF RIBBONS — Children were very enthusiastic about color-ing the Puzzle Ribbons, and a WIC family will be chosen at randomto win a gift basket for participating.

ARTIST IN THE MAKING — Emili Acosta ofPerth Amboy happily holding her colored ribbon.

GROUP EFFORT — Jasmine Jackson of New Brunswick helping herdaughter Maariya color her ribbon.

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PENNSYLVANIA’S COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES WIC HOSTS FIRST BREASTFEEDING VALENTINE’S DAY PARTYBy Harmony Motter, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Community Health Services, Inc. WIC

February 14, 2017, markedPennsylvania’s Community HealthServices, Inc. WIC Program’s first year

hosting a Valentine’s Day party for breast-feeding moms. This event was a means for breastfeeding women and their families(dads, grandmas and other children) tomeet and share their nursing experiences.

The Valentine’s Day party was held atthe Community Health Care Services build-ing in the John Wallach conference roomin Meadville, and included 17 breastfeed-ing moms and 17 breastfeeding babies.This event was hosted by WICBreastfeeding Peer Counselors LoriGallagher, Harmony Motter and CortneyNovosel, with assistance from WIC staffand volunteers.

The event featured Christin Smith withthe ‘Going Places Project,’ a hands-onmobile learning lab for children, parentsand families. It provides connections to ourcommunity and pathways for school suc-cess. Smith distributed free story books forthe children. Refreshments were availableand included “boobie” ice cream sundaesand heart-shaped cookies and cakes.Approximately 10 local businesses donated a variety of door prizes, including free bowling games, a free haircut from a local salon, free pepperonipizzas, a variety of gift certificates from local restaurants and a handful of donated gift baskets. In addition to being a breastfeeding peer counselor,Motter offered free professional portraits of mothers breastfeeding their babies. �

WEST VIRGINIA’S MONONGALIA WIC AND A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUMBy Amy Schiller, Local Agency Outreach Coordinator

Monongalia County Health Department WIC recently cele-brated its third Annual Family Festival Night at theMuseum. It was held in collaboration with Head Start,

Early Head Start, West Virginia University Extension, and Spark!Imagination and Science Center. More than 50 people celebrated,played, and ate during our two-hour long festival. Families wereable to explore all that the museum has to offer, which includesinteractive displays focusing on science, nutrition, health, andmore.

In addition to all the fun offered by the museum, West VirginiaUniversity Extension came out to offer some healthy cooking tips,recipes, and a demonstration of a yummy smoothie recipe withsamples for everyone. All families that attended were given a fewgoodies to take home with them. Those who sampled the smooth-ie received an “Eat Well, Anytime, Anywhere” Sesame Street recipebook that came with a “Cookie Monster in Veggie Land” storybook. At the garden display, families were given a kid-size farmers’market reusable bag filled with information, books, and other funitems.

Our event was also covered by the local newspaper and a localtelevision station. It was featured in an article on the front page of the local newspaper the next day. We were also live on the 5o’clock news that evening. This was particularly exciting becausethis is the first time that the media has covered the event and we are hopeful that the exposure will help grow our event in the future.

WIC and Spark have an ongoing collaboration. The museum generously allows free admission for all WIC clients year-round. All families needto do is show their eWIC card to join the fun. We hope that this event will inspire our families to take advantage of this great opportunity that isavailable and keep coming back to the museum for more family fun nights.

Our event was very successful and was a great collaboration with some of our community partnerships. We hope that it continues to grow andexpand each year. �

READ ALL ABOUT IT — Night at the Museum was front-page news in thelocal newspaper!

WHAT A SMILE — Spreading the Valentine’s Day love,Elizabeth Norr, age 4 of Guys Mills, poses for the cameraat the party.

MAGIC MOMENT — KayleighManross, of Meadville, shares amoment with her 7-month-old son,Theodore Lawrence at the Valentine’sDay party hosted by the CrawfordCounty WIC Program.

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WEST VIRGINIA’S MID-OHIO VALLEY WIC SHIFTS FOCUS TO GETTING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITYBy Jennifer Habeb, Nutritionist II, Outreach Coordinator

The new yearbrought newchanges for

West Virginia’s Mid-Ohio (MOV) WICProgram. At the firstof the year, MOV WICwelcomed a newdirector, Deb Dennis,to its nine-countyregion. Deb hadbeen working as anutritionist for nineyears before steppinginto this new role.Deb is putting a newfocus on outreach forMOV.

Starting in 2017,we increased stafftime to have a betterpresence in our com-munity. We wantpeople to be aware of what the WIC Program is and how it can benefit their family.We have been involved with health fairs in the community. We have been participat-ing in community outreach meetings, such as Wellness Coalition meetings and FamilyResource Network meetings. We are out visiting our local vendors, reading at day-cares, attending PRIDE meetings for new foster parents, and participating in commu-nity baby showers.

Deb Dennis attended a Health Expo on March 25. There were more than 40providers represented at the event. The focus was on promoting overall health andwell-being for people in the community. Local fitness instructors attended and gavedemonstrations. There were cooking demonstrations as well. This was sponsored by the United Way and held at a local college.

We also participated in Public Health Week at our local Health Department inWood County. The Health Department allows our departments to set up displays promoting what we have to offer for our families.

MOV WIC has been blessed to have a local church donate Easter baskets for ourparticipants each year. This year Emmanuel Baptist Church donated 88 baskets for us to give out. Every participant that received an Easter basket was very grateful forthe gift. We appreciate the Church for thinking of us every year and value the contin-ued partnership that we have. �

VIRGINIA BEACH CELEBRATES NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTHBy Jennifer Mayer, Dietetic Intern, Virginia Beach Health Department

The Virginia Beach Health Department celebrated National Nutrition Month in March with a fruit and vegetable luncheon.

Dietetic Intern Jennifer Mayer organized the event to promote healthy eating.  In keeping with this year’s theme of “Put Your Best

Fork Forward,” employees were invited to bring their favorite dish that incorporated a fruit and/or vegetables. 

During the luncheon, employees discussed the variety of dishes and how they were prepared.  Ideas were shared regarding how to

incorporate more fruits and vegetables into different styles of cooking.  Many staff members tried foods they’d never had before – including

mashed cauliflower and cacao nibs in a banana smoothie!  Some of the other dishes made included two types of broccoli salad, crustless

vegetable quiche, sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple, peppers and onions and a seven-layer salad.

The event was a success and many are already looking forward to celebrating National Nutrition Month next year! �

MEETING THE PEOPLE — Mid-Ohio Valley WIC DirectorDeb Dennis staffing the table at a Health EXPO.

GETTING THE WORD OUT – The Mid-Ohio Valley WIC Public Health Week display table offered lots of information.

ONE HAPPY GUY — Mid-Ohio Valley WIC participantMalyke McCune receives a WIC Easter basket with lots ofgoodies, including a coloring book, sidewalk chalk, andother small toys.

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NEW JERSEY’S NHCAC WIC “PUTS THEIR BEST FORK FORWARD”

The theme for National Nutrition Month (NNM) “Put Your Best Fork Forward,”challenged NJ’s North Hudson Community Action Corp. (NJCAC) WICProgram to develop innovative lesson plans that promote healthier lifestyles

for our participants. To that end, Nutritionist Astrid Bernard developed a physicalfitness routine for busy mothers. Astrid was motivated by our participants’ feedbackthat they do not prioritize exercise due to time and access constraints. In response,Astrid set out to review and develop a fitness routine that can be performed athome where space and time are limited. The final outcome was presented onMarch 20, to about a half a dozen participants, all of whom had at least onechild. Clad in appropriate workout gear, Astrid demonstrated several exercisesincluding squats, lunges, leg raises and weight lifting. All the exercises demon-strated were appropriate for all fitness levels with modifications suggested forgreater intensity. Watching Astrid move encouraged the participants to join in,and by the end of the session, flushed faces and a few sweat beads were visiblypresent. As a precaution, all participants were advised to consult their physi-cians prior to engaging in any intense exercise program.

After the exercise session, Nutritionist Vanessa Reyes demonstrated how toprepare nutritious snacks such as smoothies. She then challenged two partici-pants to prepare smoothies using the ingredients provided. Although bothsmoothies prepared were delicious, the cucumber smoothie was definitely thecrowd favorite (see recipe at right).

By the end of the class the message was clear, small incremental changes inphysical activity and diet can yield healthier outcomes. The NHCAC WICProgram looks forward to increasing avenues for our participants to become more physically active. �

EXERCISE — Astrid Bernard demonstratingmodified exercises.

SMOOTH — WIC participants showing off theirsmoothie-making skills.

TASTY — Nutritious snacks were available for sampling .

CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE RECIPE Ingredients:

1 cucumber 47 cal.

1 cup fresh baby spinach 7 cal.1 cup diced mango 107 cal.1 cup diced pineapple 74 cal.1 tbsp. honey 21 cal.½ cup waterIce as needed Total servings: 30 oz = 256 caloriesIndividual serving size: 8 oz = 68 calories

Instructions: Add all the ingredients into the blender.Blend until creamy. For a thicker consistency, addmore ice. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

WEST VIRGINIA WIC IS CELEBRATING CONNECTIONSBy Meredith Davis, MS, State Office Outreach Coordinator

In April, the statewide Celebrating Connections conferencewas held in Charleston, WV to enable numerous agencies to come together, collaborate and network, and share

resources. During this event, West Virginia WIC hosted aresource table for conference/fair attendees and other vendors.The table offered brochures and flyers about the WIC Programand the services offered, and offered giveaway items such aswater bottles and nail files. This conference offered a greatopportunity to collaborate with other local organizations thatcan assist in, and benefit from, improving the overall health of women, infants, and children throughout the state of West Virginia. �

BETTER TOGETHER — West VirginiaWIC’s table at the Celebrating

Connections conference.

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New Jersey State Department of Health - WICPO Box 364Trenton, NJ 08625-0364

WEST VIRGINIA’S SHENANDOAH’S WIC WORKING WITH LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARIESBy Pam Riggleman, Shenandoah WIC

During National NutritionMonth, West Virginia’sShenandoah WIC set up a

window display at the PiedmontPublic Library and a display case atthe Fort Ashby Library. Consistentwith this year’s theme of “Put YourBest Fork Forward,” these designsincluded cookbooks, grocery bags,and fork décor. The library offeredhandouts, and trinket baskets withdonations from Shenandoah ValleyMedical Center that included tis-sues, stickers, mini-Frisbees, physi-cal activity spinner buttons, crayons,nutrition related bookmarks, anddoor prizes with a measuring spoonset and a cookbook.

Additionally, on March 21,Shenandoah WIC collaborated withthe Burlington Public Library, whichhosted a Dr. Seuss birthday celebra-tion. Melissa Kowalski, of Crittersand Conservation, entertained atten-dees by showing off a toucan, ahedgehog, a scorpion, a parrot, anda bearded dragon. Additionally,attendees participated in a readingof Dr. Seuss’ book “What Pet Should I Get” with local librarians. Finally, attendees played guessing games and were given gift bags and doorprizes, as well as a treat of “green eggs and ham.” �

SCENES FROM SHENANDOAH WIC’S NNM COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL LIBRARIES