Mt. Clemens, MI - The United States Department of Agriculture recently awarded the Macomb County Health Department’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program a Gold Loving Support Award of Excellence for its breastfeeding program.
The Award is part of USDA efforts to recognize local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities in their communities.
The Macomb County Health Department is one of only 99 Gold Awardees nationally, and one of two in the state of Michigan to receive this distinction.
“This award highlights our team’s commitment to assisting mothers in our community on their breastfeeding journey, whether they’re wondering if breastfeeding is right for them, learning to breastfeed for the first time or just needing some support in the months after their baby’s birth,” said Lauren Cody, breastfeeding coordinator at the Macomb County Health Department. “We’re especially proud to receive this great honor in August, which is National Breastfeeding Month.
The Award is intended to provide models and motivate other local agencies to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion and support activities and ultimately increase breastfeeding and breastfeeding duration rates among WIC participants. To receive the Award, applicants are evaluated on a broad range of capabilities and services including peer counselling, peer counselling program management, staff training, policies, community partnerships and quality improvement.
“The WIC program has been a long-standing, valuable community nutrition program that we are proud to deliver to eligible residents of Macomb County,” said William Ridella, director/health officer of the Macomb County Health Department. “We congratulate and commend the WIC team and their spirit of innovation and customer service. They continue to go above and beyond and deliver award-winning services that make a real difference for families that participate in this program.”
In addition to breastfeeding counselling, the WIC program provides no-cost healthy foods, infant formula and support services to families enrolled in the program. Other services provided by WIC include nutrition education, nutrition counseling and referrals to community programs and offerings. Foods that are available through the WIC program are chosen because of their nutrition content and their impact on the health, growth and development of women during pregnancy and after, and for children 0-5 years of age.
“WIC programs across Michigan and here in Macomb County have the bandwidth to enroll all eligible women, infants and children in their communities,” said Martha Brooks, WIC coordinator for the Health Department. “There is no waiting list.”
To enroll, interested applicants should contact the WIC office at (586) 469-5471 or
For a photo of the Macomb County Health Department WIC breastfeeding program team, click here.
About the Macomb County Health Department
In partnership with the communities we serve, the mission of the Macomb County Health Department is to protect the health and well-being of all who live, work, and play in Macomb County. We pursue our mission by providing a wide range of programs and services that are delivered by Environmental Health Services, Family Health Services, Community Health Planning and Promotion, and our Disease Prevention and Control program. For more information, visit: https://health.macombgov.org/Health-Home.