Summary: WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors Grant Award

The Virginia State Board of Health received a formula grant award of $1,252,091 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) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This award funds the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors initiative, which provides peer support and counseling services to promote and support breastfeeding among income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women participating in Virginia's WIC program. Peer counselors deliver evidence-based breastfeeding education, lactation support, and referrals to additional health and social services to help eligible women initiate and sustain breastfeeding.

As the state administering agency, the Virginia State Board of Health distributes WIC formula grant funds to local WIC agencies and clinics throughout the Commonwealth to implement breastfeeding peer counselor services. This funding supports the personnel, training, and operational infrastructure necessary to deliver direct breastfeeding peer support services aligned with the WIC program's core mission to provide nutrition education with emphasis on breastfeeding promotion and support for eligible women and children up to age five.