Little Rock – On Thursday, the United States Department of Agriculture presented the Loving Support Award of Excellence to Arkansas’ Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children at the grand opening of the first breastfeeding room at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff within an academic school.

The USDA Loving Support Award of Excellence is presented to local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities and ultimately increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants.

The Arkansas WIC program was selected due to its work in promoting breastfeeding duration and exclusivity in communities where breastfeeding may not traditionally be the norm, through programs like the creation of breastfeeding rooms and nooks.  MORE