Federal Grant Award Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service awarded the Department of Public Health Connecticut a formula grant of $726,923 under the WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (CFDA 10.557), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This funding specifically supports the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors program, which provides peer counseling services to promote and support breastfeeding among eligible women and infants served through Connecticut's WIC program.

The award funds breastfeeding peer counselor services, a critical component of the WIC program's nutrition education and support initiatives. Through this funding, Connecticut's Department of Public Health will deploy trained peer counselors to provide direct breastfeeding education, lactation support, and encouragement to pregnant and breastfeeding women who are income-eligible and at nutritional risk. These peer counseling services complement the broader WIC program's provision of supplemental nutritious foods and referrals to health and social services, with particular emphasis on advancing breastfeeding promotion and support objectives across the state's WIC agencies and clinics.