WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors Program Award Summary

The Puerto Rico Department of Health received a formula grant award of $940,083 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC, CFDA 10.557), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This award specifically supports the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors initiative, which delivers peer counseling and lactation support services to eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women in Puerto Rico. The program complements core WIC services by providing specialized breastfeeding education and support designed to promote and sustain breastfeeding practices among low-income participants.

As a formula grant distributed through the federal-state partnership model that characterizes the WIC program, these funds support the administrative infrastructure and direct service delivery necessary to maintain the peer counselor network within Puerto Rico's WIC system. The two-year funding period enables sustained provision of breastfeeding support services across the territory's WIC clinics and community-based service delivery sites, contributing to improved maternal and infant health outcomes consistent with the program's emphasis on nutrition education and breastfeeding promotion.