EBCAP’s WIC Program Wins Prestigious U.S.D.A. Award

On Friday, August 2, 2018 East Bay Community Action Program’s (EBCAP) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program received the Gold Premium Award for providing exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities. The award was given by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children through its Loving Support Award of Excellence program. It is the first time an agency in Rhode Island has received this honor.

The award was presented by Kurt Messner, USDA Regional Administrator, to Beth Nitkin, EBCAP’s WIC Director, and Esther Trneny, former Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, and now nurse at EBCAP’s East Providence Health Center, during Breastfeeding Week ceremonies (sponsored by Children's Friend) at the RI State House. Messner said “I’m honored to present Rhode Island’s first Loving Support Award. East Bay Community Action Program will serve as a model for other agencies supporting WIC moms and babies as they learn together and grow together.”

There were 117 applications received from WIC programs throughout the United States, and only 12 programs received the Gold Premium Award.

The ultimate goal of this recognition program is to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among participants in the WIC program. Programs that have implemented strong models and serve as exceptional examples for other programs are recognized.

EBCAP provides Primary, Behavioral and Dental Health services along with a wide range of human services to over 30,000 residents of Rhode Island’s east bay including East Providence, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Little Compton, Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport and Jamestown. For more information regarding services and to learn how you too can Support the CAP which supports the East Bay Community, please visit ebcap.org.

Photo, from left: Ann Barone- RI WIC Chief, Dennis Anderson-Villaluz, NERO Regional Nutritionist, Esther Trneny, former Breast Feeding Peer Counselor and now Nurse at EBCAP's East Providence Health Center, Beth Nitkin, EBCAP WIC Coordinator, and Kurt Messner, USDA Regional Administrator. Photo Credit: RI Dept. of Health, WIC