VIRGIN ISLANDS WIC AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RELAUNCH FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAMBy Lorna Concepcion, MS, RD

Virgin Islands WIC Program, along with the VirginIslands Department of Agriculture (DOA),relaunched the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition

Program this fiscal year. Social media (specificallyFacebook) was used to engage the participants. Toencourage participation, a Facebook game was used by the DOA to compete for a prize. Information aboutthe program was also posted on the VI Department ofHealth’s Facebook page. Many radio interviews werealso conducted by DOA personnel. The DOA also used food demonstrations at market sites to show participants how they can use local foods. More than 2,000 participants territory-wide received FMNPchecks to buy local produce. One pleased participantposted a picture of herself on Facebook shopping at the farmer’s market. �

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

� News From TheUSDA: ReportHighlights ObesityRates Among 2-4-Year-Old WICChildren .................Page 3

� DE LaunchesFarmers’ MarketCoupons.................Page 4

� Valley Health’sKanawha WIC StaffAttend WV PerinatalSummit 2016.................Page 6

� Worksite HealthPromotion in WV:Working TogetherToward Health.................Page 9

� PA WIC’s “GotGame” at PA FarmShow.................Page 10

SPR ING 2017CHILDREN’S NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM WIC IN WASHINGTON, DC WELCOMES HONORED GUESTS FROM CHINABy Kimberly Thompson, MS, RDN, LD, CLC

On November 30, the WIC Clinic at Children’sNational Health System hosted the Society forPublic Health Education (SOPHE) and 20 Chinese

health dignitaries who were visiting Washington, DC.The host staff included Children’s WIC Program DirectorJaya Janakarim, Nutritionist Kimberly Thompson MS,RDN and WIC Clinic Assistants Toni Henderson-Jones,Courtney Monroe, and Lloydisha Mason.

The guest health professionals are involved in runningthe Chinese Health Education Institutes throughout theChina provinces. As China is experiencing many of thesame poor health risk factors as in the US, such as obesi-ty, physical inactivity and hypertension, the site visit

enabled them to hear how the Children’s National HealthSystem addresses these needs in regard to maternal/infanthealth.

Among various topics to be covered on their US visitwere health education programs/interventions to helpprevent these chronic conditions in various populationsand support healthy lifestyles. The group learned abouthow WIC programs promote breastfeeding/healthy eating,visited the on-site mobile farmers’ market, and saw first-hand how the clinic put this into action. Overall, it was a valuable international exchange opportunity and theChildren’s WIC staff was proud to share the WIC storywith our honored guests and public health partners. �

VIPS — Jaya Janakiram, Children’s National HealthSystem Local agency Director and Kimberly Thompson,Local Agency Nutrition Coordinator, with Chinese digni-taries in the lobby of the Children’s National MedicalCenter, Washington, DC.

TO MARKET, TO MARKET — Jaya Janakiram, Children’sNational Health System Local agency Director withChinese dignitaries at the Arcadia Farmer’s Market on the grounds of the Children’s National Medical Center.

LIKE IT — Copy of a Facebook notification while shoppingat a farmer’s market in St. Thomas Market Square postedby a WIC participant.

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

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USDA MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE WELCOMES JEANNE HUTCHINS TO WICBy Jennifer Nagy, MPH, RD, Program Specialist

The USDA Mid-Atlantic Regional Office (MARO) forthe Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is thrilled toannounce that Jeanne Hutchins has officially joined

the WIC team! Although Jeanne is new to WIC, she comeswith a wealth of experience in other FNS programs havingworked for the agency for 28 years.

Jeanne started her career with FNS at the Maryland FieldOffice where she gained knowledge of all FNS Programs butespecially the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP). Jeanne worked in Quality Control and was alsoactively involved in approving stores to accept SNAP bene-fits. In 2004 she accepted a temporary position working atMARO in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Shortly after thisassignment, she accepted a permanent positon at MAROand continued her work with these programs. RecentlyJeanne started a temporary assignment with WIC which hasled to a permanent position. Jeanne is working closely withthe WIC Farmers’ Market and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs and will be assisting inthe area of funding and participation.

When asked about her new position, Jeanne stated: “It has been great getting to learn moreabout the WIC Program and seeing how all the FNS programs tie together to provide nutritiousfoods to our most vulnerable.”

In her spare time, Jeanne enjoys baking, reading and traveling. She holds a special place inher heart for her nephew who she recently took to London after he graduated high school toreward for him his impressive academic success and full scholarship to college! Please join usin welcoming Jeanne to WIC! �

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.

WEST VIRGINIA WIC OFFERS RESOURCES TO COMMUNITY PARTNERSBy Meredith Davis, MS, State Office Outreach Coordinator

In November 2016, the statewide West Virginia HeadStart conference was held at a local hotelin Charleston, WV.Additionally, in February,

the local Goodwill organiza-tion held a Resource Fair attheir prosperity center inCharleston. During bothevents, West Virginia WIChosted a resource table forconference/fair attendeesand other vendors. Thetables offered informationabout the WIC Program,including pamphlets aboutthe WIC Program, materialsdiscussing the benefits ofbreastfeeding, and resourcesfor helping improve child-hood nutritional health.

In addition to offeringinformation about the WICProgram, the conference andfair each offered a greatopportunity to collaboratewith other local organiza-tions that can assist in, andbenefit from, improving theoverall health of women,infants, and childrenthroughout the state of WestVirginia. �

WV Goodwill Resource Fair WIC table.

WV HeadStart Conference WIC table.

Jeanne Hutchins

3

By Kelly Mannherz, MS, IBCLC

As we all know, preventingobesity during childhood isa public health priority. In

November, the CDC and USDAjointly released a report on thedecrease in obesity among youngchildren enrolled in the WICProgram. The WIC Participants andProgram Characteristics (WIC PC)study recently replaced thePediatric Nutrition SurveillanceSystem (PedNSS) data as our toolfor obesity surveillance amonglow-income families. The CDCexamined trends in obesity preva-lence between 2010 and 2014among WIC participants aged 2 to4 years using the WIC PC data,which is derived from the weightand height measurements taken during WIC certification appointments. Overall, obesity prevalence decreased from 15.9% in 2010 to 14.5% in2014. This significant decrease was observed among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, American Indian/Alaskan Natives, andAsians/Pacific Islanders. The decline in obesity is likely due a combination of obesity prevention initiatives, including the revision of the WIC foodpackage which provided increased access to fruits, vegetables, and whole grains among low-income women and children. However, although 34of the states and US territories studied had statistically significant declines, the obesity prevalence among 2- to 4-year-old WIC children remainshigh when compared to the national obesity rate of 8.9% among children aged 2 to 5 years in 2011 to 2014.

This report also revealed that obesity rates among WIC children in several states in the Mid-Atlantic region are among the highest in the nation,as outlined in the chart:

As we celebrate the modest improvements we’ve made nationally, we’re also reminded that continued obesity prevention initiatives at thenational, state, and local levels are needed to ensure healthy child development. Policy and practice changes in child care, education, and healthcare settings, and initiatives that support pregnant women, parents, and care providers to promote healthy pregnancies, breastfeeding, nutritious eat-ing, and physical activity for young children are needed to continue reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity in the early years of life.

For more information on your state, visit: http://stateofobesity.org/wic/. To access the report from CDC, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/child-hood/wic.ht

NEWS FROM THE USDA: REPORT HIGHLIGHTS OBESITY RATES AMONG 2-4-YEAR-OLD WIC CHILDREN

PENNSYLVANIA WIC’S MATERNAL AND FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES’ LAURIE WASKOVICH IS GUEST CHEF ON TVBy Jean Holmgren, MFHS Communications Specialist

Pennsylvania’s Maternal andFamily Health Services (MFHS)WIC Nutrition Education

Coordinator, Laurie Waskovich, hasbecome a regular guest chef on thelifestyle show PA Live, which airs on the local NBC affiliate in NortheastPennsylvania. Laurie joins the hosts in their kitchen and cooks healthy,easy-to-prepare meals. The food itemsused in these segments are availablethrough the WIC Program. The exposureon PA Live is an opportunity to spreadawareness about MFHS and the WICProgram and the many benefits of participating in WIC. �

WIC GETS COOKING —MFHS Nutrition

Education CoordinatorLaurie Waskovich in the

PA Live kitchen.

DELAWARE LAUNCHES FARMERS’ MARKET COUPONS

Delaware was able to participant in the 2016 Farmers’ MarketNutrition Program (FMNP). After two years of negotiating legalmatters, Delaware was able to kick off a late 2016 FMNP season.

Even though Delaware was not able to start FMNP until August of 2016,WIC participants and the authorized markets made the most of thegrowing season that was left!

Each participant (except infants) received a $15 check for the season. To promote the program, participants received Farmers’ Market shop-

ping bags (customized from Fresh Baby) and information on which farm-ers’ markets in Delaware were participating in accepting WIC FMNPcoupons.

The Capital City Farmers’ Market in Dover received $400 in FMNPcoupons in one day. Due to the popularity, they extended their seasonone month in order to accommodate more participants.

The Delaware WIC Program, participants and markets are lookingforward to participating in the 2017 FMNP full growing season! �

HAPPY SHOPPING — Happy WIC participants Kimberley Reid andAaliyah Henson are ready to go shopping at the Farmers' Market.

IN THE GROOVE — NJ WIC breastfeeding staff participate in peer counselor training.

NEW JERSEY WIC OFFERS STATEWIDE PEER COUNSELOR TRAINING

New Jersey WIC Services began Statewide Peer Counselor training in FFY 2016. The first two trainings drew State and local agency staff fromall over the state, gathering a lively group of women to learn the basics of breastfeeding from each other. The State WIC office and a localagency collaborated on space.

All local agencies send new peer counselors to the mandatory training, as well as any current peer counselor who desires a refresher course.Other WIC staff who are interested in learning more about breastfeeding are encouraged to attend. As space allows, staff from collaborating programs are included.

The course is a full day, once a week, for six weeks. It is an interactive experience which taps the knowledge and experience of the group, and is based on the Loving Support Peer Counselor platform. The peer counselors get to meet and form relationships with each other; the group of 12-16 is diverse enough to offer a wide variety of breastfeeding and other experiences.

Feedback has been positive. Staff enjoys training as a group, learning from each other by sharing experiences and working together on fun activities.

The State WIC office intends to conduct two trainings in FFY 2017. �

4

THE EWIC PILOT TAKES OFF IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND

Jessica Johnson was-n’t sure whether shewas going to recerti-

fy her daughter Lillianthis year. “I only did it(recertified) becausewhen I called, they toldme they were going tobe switching over to the EBT card. I wastired of dealing with thechecks,” Jessica said asshe entered a SafewayGrocery Store inWaldorf, Maryland. Asshe shopped, she flippedthrough the newlyissued authorized foodslist and weighed heroptions, taking sugges-tions intermittently fromthree-year-old Lillian.After shopping aroundfor about 30 minutes,she made her way to the checkout line. Thecashier and Jessica were both excited tocomplete their very firsteWIC transaction. Thetransaction was smooth,quick and easy andJessica was absolutelyelated. “This is mucheasier than checks,” shementioned to Brittney Braswell and Terri Buckler, two Maryland State WICemployees who accompanied her on her first eWIC shopping experience. Shelooked at the bottom of her receipt and added, “I still have another gallon of milk left,” before finally leaving out the store.

Jessica Johnson is just one of the many moms and dads among the first WICparticipants to receive WIC EBT, or eWIC, card. The eWIC pilot, which launchedon January 26, 2017 in the Southern region of Maryland, impacted five WIC clin-ics that serve more than 6,200 WIC participants. For the most part, the eWIC pilottransition was effortless, with no major technical difficulties. The SouthernMaryland staff was thoroughly trained at the Maryland WIC Training Center inBrooklyn Park, MD and was eager to introduce eWIC to their participants.Dressed in matching “Maryland eWIC Accepted Here” polo shirts, the staff uniformly and successfully transitioned 29 participants to eWIC on the first day of the pilot.

The State office staff was also overjoyed to finally launch eWIC. The project,which has been over six years in the making, has been the focal point of almosteveryone on staff. From the complete revamping of the authorized foods list bythe nutritionists, to the vendor unit staff prepping the stores and scanning productsfor the approved product list (APL), along with the information technology teamchanging and updating the WIC on the Web (WOW) software, eWIC has con-sumed many daily lives since the project’s inception in 2011. The eWIC pilot inSouthern Maryland signifies a major milestone in all of their collective efforts, butit certainly doesn’t signify the end. The second eWIC pilot launched in Februaryin Western Maryland, and will be followed by a roll-out in Central Maryland inMay, Eastern Maryland in June and finally in Baltimore City in July. With eachlaunch, the Maryland WIC staff hopes to build upon the strengths of the formerrollout and address any issues that arise, but so far, so good! For more informationon Maryland eWIC, visit www.mdwic.org and click on the eWIC link. �

SAVVY SHOPPERS — WIC mom Jessica Johnson and daughter Lillian use their authorized foods list to determine which loaf of bread they can purchasewith their eWIC card.

WEST VIRGINIA’S WHEELING-OHIO WIC ACTIVATES

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNBy Beth Dowler, Local Agency Director

West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle WIC

offices have recently created several

social media sites to assist with their out-

reach efforts. Northern Panhandle Director Beth

Dowler said, “We are so excited to finally be a part of

the social media scene. We feel this is a good way to

inform our clients, their families, and the public of all

of our services and programs.”

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts have

been created for each of the Northern Panhandle

counties: Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, and

Wetzel/Tyler. The sites are connected through

Hootsuite, a tool that manages the social media mar-

keting efforts from one dashboard. Hootsuite makes it

easier to find and schedule social media posts.

“We felt it was important to work with a marketing

group to assist us with the set-up and posting of infor-

mation,” said Dowler. “We wanted to ensure we had

a professional cohesive look with regular posts. Our

offices work closely with the group to keep the infor-

mation as up to date as possible.”

Some of the most popular posts have been: Ten Tip

Tuesday, Recipe of the Week, and Fun Fact Friday.

“We also include client information on our social

media sites as well as important announcements and

office closings,” continued Dowler.

The staff is working to create informational short

videos to post on the sites as well as going “live” on

Facebook and adding photos when attending health

fairs and special events. Increased outreach efforts

and a marketing plan are in the works for the near

future to help drive not just the clients to the sites, but

also the public. “We really feel we offer a lot of help-

ful information that many people can benefit from

reading or watching whether they are a client of WIC

or not,” added Dowler. �

5

NEW JERSEY’S PASSAIC WIC PROGRAM CELEBRATES HEART HEALTH AND CHILDREN’S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

New Jersey’s Passaic WIC Program celebrated Heart Health and Children’sDental Health Month with special

presentations by William Paterson UniversityPublic Health intern Katiuska “Kat” Salazar.Kat taught classes throughout the month ofFebruary emphasizing proper tooth brushing,weaning off the bottle and eating foods thatare heart healthy. Goody bags with tooth-brushes and toothpaste for children, as well as heart healthy recipes, were provided to all who attended classes.

The City of Passaic also offered free bloodpressure screenings on Valentine’s Day to allresidents. �

BRUSHING THE RIGHT WAY –William Paterson University

Intern Kat Salazar demonstrates proper brushing techniques.

VALLEY HEALTH’S KANAWHA WIC STAFF ATTEND WEST VIRGINIA PERINATAL SUMMIT 2016

By Kadija Tyler, CLS, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Kadija Tyler, CLS and Nutritionist Sara Jones, NDTR of the Valley Health Kanawha County WIC Program

had the opportunity to attend the West Virginia Perinatal Summit at the Charleston Marriott late last year. The conference, which

occurred over a two-day period, featured an array of perinatal professionals presenting on a myriad of topics. The space buzzed with

the excitement of being surrounded by individuals dedicated to improving the health outcomes of mothers and babies.

Among the many informative presentations, several displayed health care models and practices that could directly improve perinatal

health in our area. In “Using Implementation Science to Decrease Recurrent Preterm Births at Boston Medical Center,” Jodi Abbott, MD

focused largely on centering, which entails group prenatal care where pregnant women who are due around the same time receive and share

information and experiences, as well as develop relationships with one another to create community. Studies are showing that such practices

are resulting in better birth outcomes, increased patient satisfaction, and lower percentages of postpartum mood disorders such as depression

and anxiety.

PhD candidate Helena Brady, NNP led us through the process of implementing “Skin to Skin Care in the OB Operating Room,” which

increases breastfeeding rates and mother satisfaction, among other benefits.

Scott Sullivan, MD discussed “South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative – A Perinatal Start Up,” an incredibly inspiring presentation. Dr.

Sullivan reviewed the processes that improved overall birth and breastfeeding outcomes in a state whose outcomes and care often mirror

those in West Virginia.

Lastly, licensed social workers Liz Cohen, MSW, and Michelle Comer, LGSW discussed “Perinatal Mental Health: ‘This isn’t what I expect-

ed,’ Adjusting to Life with Baby,” and explored signs, symptoms, treatments, and referrals for mood disorders including postpartum depres-

sion, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder.

The Perinatal Summit also provided leaflets that could be used almost immediately at the local WIC level. Literature on caring for the opi-

oid-exposed newborn is a helpful tool for participants throughout the state of West Virginia, and can bridge the gap between our services and

newborn care facilities such as Lily’s Place in Huntington, WV, which cares for the substance-exposed infant. As our state boasts some of the

highest numbers of opioid addiction nationally, these resources are particularly invaluable. Additionally, our networking efforts with confer-

ence attendees enabled our use of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Our implementation of this tool carries the promise of assisting

our clients in identifying postpartum depression and receiving timely referrals to programs that can assist them. Ultimately, the event was an

incredible and impactful experience. �

6

PENNSYLVANIA’S COMMUNITY PROGRESS COUNCIL OF YORK COUNTY HELPS TO SQUASH HUNGERBy Carly Hess, Outreach Coordinator, Community Progress Council WIC, York, PA

The York County Food Alliance’s 2017 Squash Hunger eventtook place January 13-17. This annual event continues togrow each year with the efforts put forth by the community.

Volunteers from all over York County, PA came together to makesquash soup to distribute to community agencies.

Students at Spring Grove Area High School in Spring Grove,PA, started preparing for the event in June of 2016. The studentsworked hard to plant and maintain 750 butternut squash plants.In October, they harvested well over 2,000 butternut squash!Volunteers from the Central PA Food Bank and LifePath ChristianMinistries helped to transport the squash to Seventh & George, afarm-to-freezer kitchen and store hosting the event. In addition tothe squash grown by the Spring Grove students, some local farm-ers donated squash and pumpkins that did not sell during the sea-son. Additional donations included potatoes, carrots, apples, andmoney to purchase spices and containers.

At the start of each shift, food safety precautions werereviewed with volunteers. On the first day of the event volunteershelped wash about 2,500 pounds of squash, 300 pounds pota-toes, 300 pounds of carrots and 9 bushels of apples.

Community Progress Council WIC staff volunteered for a three-hour shift and were divided into groups that were assigned tasks.These tasks included cutting and peeling squash/apples/potatoes,chopping onions, and washing dishes.

A total of 133 volunteers came together to make 260 gallons ofsquash soup. The soup, as well as whole squash, was shared withfood pantries, CPC WIC, CPC Head Start, transition homes, and school back pack programs in the community.

WIC participants were able to sample the squash soup after their appointments. CPC WIC offered pint and quart sizes of the soup to familieswho enjoyed it. They were able to take some home for a meal as well as the soup recipe and some additional recipes for butternut squash. Somefamilies opted to take the whole squash and try their own recipes.

Overall, participants really enjoyed the soup and CPC WIC looks forward to participating in the event next year! �

HARD AT WORK — CPC WIC staff Elisha Brantley and Amanda Curley helpedto peel apples for the soup.

HUGE HARVEST — Over 2,500 pounds of squash and pumpkins were donated for the 2017 Squash Hunger event.

SMILING FOR SOUP — CPC WIC participantChristopher Gomez, Jr. was excited to take homesquash soup for a meal.

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CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT JOY AT PUERTO RICO WIC By Rayna Hichez Coste, LND, Nutrition Coordinator I

This past year, the Puerto Rico WIC Program took Christmas to ahigher level, making it more fun, more joyous, and more nutritiousthan ever. We know kids love Santa Claus, so who better than

Santa to send the message to eat healthy during Christmas holidays andall year round? With this in mind, we contacted Mr. Claus and told himwe needed his help to improve the eating habits of Puerto Rican kids.Santa, without hesitating, said, “Count me in!” And this was how theSanta Tour began.

The Santa Tour started on November 17, and continued untilDecember 22. Seventeen local WIC clinics were visited. During eachvisit, the nutritionist educated participants on healthy habits and recom-mendations to follow during the holidays, presented healthy recipesand/or recipe modifications. After the educational talk was over, Santaarrived with his little helpers to enforce the message of eating right.Instead of giving away traditional presents, Santa gave away nutrition.

More than 500 participants had the opportunity to talk to Santa andtake a picture with him. Each participant received their picture taken with Santa, a fresh fruit, and a coloring book of fruits and vegetables.

Happiness, smiles, and joy! Without a doubt, the Santa Tour was atotal success. �

WIC ELVES — Santa’s helpers take a holiday photo!

ALL SMILES — Santa poses with very happy WIC participants.

WEST VIRGINIA’S MID-OHIO VALLEY WIC HELPS KEEP KIDS WARM THIS WINTERBy Jennifer Habeb, Nutritionist II, Outreach Coordinator

West Virginia’s Mid-Ohio Valley WIC wanted todo something extra for their participants thispast holiday season. Late last year, having

anticipated the weather getting colder and as holidayswere upon us, we decided to help kids stay warm dur-ing the winter months by allowing them to pick out ahat or gloves while attending their Wood County WICappointment.

Wood County WIC serves approximately 2250 participants.

Employees from the Mid-Ohio Valley HealthDepartment all donated items to fill the tree. WICemployees were amazed and thankful at the number ofdonations that came in from our fellow departments.We sincerely thank everyone for the generous outpour-ing of support for our program and the participants,which allowed us to fill our tree with gloves and mittenson December 1. Additionally, we were able to continueto fill it as the wonderful donations kept coming in afterthe holidays, so children were able to benefit from thiswonderful program throughout the new year. �

GIVING TREE — Brodie Crew stops for a second to smile at the camera before pickingout a red hat to keep him warm during the winter months.

8

WORKSITE HEALTH PROMOTION IN WEST VIRGINIA: WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD HEALTHBy Rachel Miles Hoopes MS RDN LD

At WIC,wespend

our daysencouraginghealthy habitsamong all ourclients and whothey influence.How are weencouragingour own staff tobe healthy intheir lives?

The ValleyHealth officesthat administerWIC in sixcounties inWest Virginiadecided it wastime to chal-lenge and sup-port each otherin the life-longjourney ofhealthy living.The staff havebeen participat-ing in friendlyhealthy habitcompetitionsand encourag-ing healthy behaviors through quarterly newsletters. The staff has also used adoor in one office for additional monthly information and a question andresponse area. A monthly question is listed with a pen attached and then staffcrowd source solutions to help continue to problem solve how to live busyhealthy lives.

The quarterly newsletters cover a topic and give employees info onupcoming healthy habits competitions, ideas for activities in the area, infor-mation on meetings and holidays. Topics have included My Plate, My Wins,which the USDA is encouraging through www.choosemyplate.gov website,dealing with stress, and making and keeping resolutions.

Information posted on our healthy living door has come from the 10 tipsseries from the www.choosemyplate.gov website from the USDA. These pro-vide 10 easy ideas to improve health. Posted sheets included tips for makinghealthier holiday choices, eating foods away from home and making half yourgrains whole. Staff has helped each other solve problems with our monthlyquestion and response area. Solutions have been posted for decreasing stress,packing children’s lunches, and how to stay healthy during the holidays.

The healthy habits competitions are for fun and generally run four weekstwo times a year. They focus on goal setting and include physical activity,healthy eating and another wellness focused goal that could include social,financial and preventative health. There are self-selected goals and it is a self-reported system. Competitions end with small prizes for participants. It is forfun and participation is voluntary.

Staff continues to work to expand our worksite health promotion programin different offices and with ideas that work for them. The continued focus onworking as a group towards health helps everyone stay motivated and movingforward in our life long journey of healthy living. � PUMPKIN SMOOTHIES — Nutritionist Jacqueline Landis

handing out samples of the pumpkin smoothies for customersin the CAP of Lancaster County lobby.

BEWARE OF SUGAR — Display of the added sugars in com-mon beverages.

FOOD DAY CELEBRATED WITH THE HALLOWEEN SPIRITAT PENNSYLVANIA’S CAP OF LANCASTERBy M. Chaplin Mazzocchi, Outreach CoordinatorCAP of Lancaster County WIC Program

Each year Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County WIC Programcelebrates Food Day on October 24. Food Day raisesawareness about the importance of eating fresh, healthy

and local foods. Spooky pumpkin smoothie samples were pre-pared and handed out in the lobby of the Community ActionPartnership of Lancaster County. Common beverages such assoda, sports drinks and orange juice were on display and fami-lies were warned to stay away from the “Sugar Monster” thatcan be hidden in drinks. The sampling was enjoyed by all ofour customers throughout the day. �

9

STRESS BUSTERS — Valley Health WIC employees NaomiPruitt, NA/PC and Monica Gissel, OA/MA hold our solutionsfor dealing with stress and relaxing.

WEST VIRGINIA’S VALLEY HEALTH WAYNE WIC HAS OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATING NEW WIC SITEBy Jenna Rose, MA, RDN, LD, Valley Health Nutrition and Outreach Coordinator

On January 17, West Virginia’s Valley Health WayneCounty WIC Program participated with Valley HealthWayne Health Services to provide an open house

and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newest site. The Valley Health Wayne WIC clinic relocated to a more

commercialized area of Wayne County where there are twoclose WIC vendors, an elementary school, and multiple retailstores. In addition, the new location can be seen from themain state route that runs through this area so it is morehighly visible from the road than the previous location.

Although there are separate entrances to the WIC andHealth Service portions of the building, their close proximitywill maintain a referral base for WIC participation since cur-rently the health service portion is providing OB/GYN, familymedicine, behavioral health, and dental services and will be expanding to provide optometry and pharmacy services as well. This new site will give us an opportunity to be morevisible and easily accessible to potential WIC participants in Wayne County. �

PENNSYLVANIA WIC’S “GOT GAME” AT PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOWBy Andrea Murray, Public Health Nutrition Consultant, PA Department of Health WIC Program

For the 101st Farm Show, the Pennsylvania WIC Program had a vision to feature interactive games to teach children and their families abouthealthy nutrition and physical activity. More than 5,000 children made their way through the Pennsylvania WIC booth and they had theopportunity to participate in games that focused on healthy foods and beverages as well as increasing physical activity.

The larger than life MyPlate beanbag toss game was designed based on the “ChooseMyPlate.gov” campaign. Players had the opportunity toidentify the food on a bean bag and then toss it into the proper food group.

A second game was developed to encourage those visiting the booth to “Rethink Your Drink.” A ring toss game helped players identify healthydrinks from unhealthy drinks. Various types of drink options were assembled and players were encouraged to toss a ring over the healthy options.

The last game was a hopscotch floor mat designed to encourage physical activity. Players tossed a bean bag on a number and then completedthe traditional hop scotch game. At the end of the mat the player performed a physical activity assigned to that number.

The Pennsylvania WIC Program employees, as well as local WIC agency employees, enjoyed interacting with all the visitors and promoting theWIC Program to those visiting our booth during the week-long event! �

MEET ME AT THE FARM — Check out PA WIC’s impressive Farm Showbooth display.

HOME SWEET HOME — WV’s Wayne County WIC staff celebrate at the new facility’s open house.

CHILD’S PLAY — The hopscotch game attracted lots of visitors.

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VALLEY HEALTH WIC PROGRAM BOASTS UNIQUE IN-SERVICEBy Jenny Z. Morris, MM, IBCLC, Breastfeeding Coordinator , Charleston, WV

During training at our December 2016 in-service, West Virginia’s Valley Health WIC staff had the opportunity to participate in a fun and edu-cational activity to improve knowledge about the human breast and its functions. For the activity, the setting was somewhat like the populartelevision show “Chopped,” where the participants are given a set of ingredients and asked to create something edible.

Staff were given the following ingredients (and what they represented): flour tortilla (skin) , grapes (alveoli and milk ducts), yellow and whitepopcorn (fatty tissue and connective tissue), red and black licorice strings (blood vessels and nerves), a marshmallow (retromammary fatty pad),Hershey kiss (nipple), chopped dried cranberries (Montgomery glands), one dried apricot slice (areola), small amount of frosting to hold piecestogether) and a toothpick (to hold the ‘skin’ closed).

The staff worked together in pairs and discussed what each of those items correlated with regarding breast anatomy, as well as the function ofeach part. Many laughs were heard as instructions were given and breasts of many different sizes were created. It was a fun way for experiencedstaff to review this information and newer staff members to receive instruction, even if this fun was also slightly messy! Best of all, the “breasts”were entirely edible except for the toothpick! �

WEST VIRGINIA’S WHEELING-OHIO WIC STAFF TAKE CPR/STOP TEAM TRAININGBy Beth Dowler, Local Agency Director

On December 14, staff at the Wheeling-Ohio WIC Program, along with the West Virginia State WIC Program’s Outreach Coordinator,Meredith Davis, participated in CPR training. Staff also received training on how to use an AED. Staff finished the day with training from theSTOP team — Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors. The goal of the STOP team members is to develop and strengthen effective law

enforcement, prosecution, judicial strategies, and victim services throughout the area in cases involving violent crimes against women defined asdomestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. �

BEFORE — Here are the “breast” ingredients before the activity began. AFTER — Here’s the finished “breast.”

CPR READY — Wheeling-Ohio WIC staff learn CPR for adults, children, and infants.

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

WEST VIRGINIA’S SHENANDOAH WIC MAKES SPECIAL DELIVERY TO WIC MOM

When one enters our state, they are met with thesign that says “Welcome to Wild and WonderfulWest Virginia.” Shenandoah WIC Director Mitch

Greenbaum, a transplanted New Yorker serving the EasternPanhandle, has grown to love life in the Mountaineer State.However, providing needed services in a rural environmentpresents quite a challenge.

“Recently, my nutritionist came into my office and askedme if I was doing anything,” said Mitch. When he askedher what she needed, she said that one of the Shenandoahagency participants had just called the WIC office inKeyser, WV and needed a special formula for her pre-terminfant. According to the nutritionist, the physician hadfaxed the prescription form to the office and the clerk, who was the only one in the office, had called her to signoff on the form.

“My nutritionist said that it just so happens that a supplyof the special formula needed was in our storeroom,” saidMitch. We spoke to the participant and asked whether she could drive to the Keyser office to pick up the formula.She lived about an hour away from the office and would be very happy to come in. Mitch loaded up the car andmade the two-hour drive to the Keyser office where he met with the mom and his Keyser office staff, and madethe exchange.

According to Mitch, “It is very satisfying to see how our staff in our rural clinics, do what’s necessary to serve our participants.” Being able tofill a special formula from stock, the use of EBT benefit cards, providing nutrition counseling remotely, or online nutrition education are innova-tions that have made our Program stronger. The mother we served can indeed affirm, “Your baby has you, and you have WIC.” �

SPECIAL DELIVERY — Shenandoah WIC Director Mitch Greenbaum (left) andKeyser, WV Clerk, Pam Riggleman Flank (right) with WIC participant CatherineMantooth, who received an emergency delivery of special formula for her baby.