Panama City, FL— The Southeast Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has announced that the Florida Department of Health in Bay County (DOH-Bay) Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program as a 2022 Gold Breastfeeding Award of Excellence.

According to the USDA FNC the awards program was established to recognize local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and activities. The intent is to provide models and motivate other local agencies to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion and support activities and ultimately increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants. The award is given at three levels of performance that build on one another – Gold, Premiere, and Elite.  

“I am extremely proud of the hard work that our WIC staff does to promote breastfeeding in our community”, said Sandon S. Speedling, MHS, CPM, CPH, Administrator and Health Officer, Florida Department of Health in Bay County. “To be recognized by the USDA FSN is especially rewarding.”

For more information on enrollment and eligibility for the WIC Program at the Florida Department of Health in Bay County please call (850) 252-9579 for WIC appointments and (850) 747-5775 for breastfeeding assistance.

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