MONTEFIORE CELEBRATES OPENING OF NEW WIC PROGRAM LOCATION TO SUPPORT NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF BRONX MOMS & BABIES

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Thousands of Families Now Have Access to Nutrition Education, Breastfeeding Support and Connection to Community Resources Through the Montefiore WIC Program

BRONX, N.Y., Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Montefiore Health System celebrated the opening of its fourth Bronx-based Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program location, offering nutrition education, breastfeeding support and connections to community resources. Thanks to $3.9 million in New York State funding, the four WIC locations, run in partnership with Montefiore Medical Group, which offers primary and specialty care, will assist more than 13,000 families across the borough.

"The need for nutrition services, education and strong ties to social support are increasing every year," said Carmen Nauta, PhD, IBCLC, RLC, WIC Coordinator, Montefiore Medical Group. "We are extremely grateful for the investment New York State is making to help our families experiencing food insecurity. The funding also enables our qualified nutritionists and breastfeeding counselors to provide parents with personalized guidance on how they can nourish their children and look after their own health needs at the same time."

The federal WIC program was established in the 1970s to help address the nutritional needs of women, infants and children through age 5-years-old. Today the New York State WIC Program, which provides support to approximately 425,000 women, infants, and children each month, has evolved to offer extended hours, remote services and assistance via the "Ask Wanda" virtual assistant, making the program more easily accessible to families. Montefiore's WIC program further supports families by connecting them to Project Bravo Food Pantry, its hospital-driven volunteer outreach program designed to combat food insecurity for high-risk individuals. The Montefiore WIC program also partners with Bronx-based community organizations to share educational resources with families at health fairs, libraries and women's shelters.

Bronx mom of two, 27-year-old Tasnima has been part of the Montefiore WIC program for almost three years and found it so valuable that she decided to become a peer counselor so she could extend the services she received to other new moms. "It is so important that moms have support and a place where they can come to discuss parenting challenges and solutions," said Tasnima. "Our program is a powerful tool where we can check-in on each other and connect families with resources that they might not otherwise have access to."

Participation in WIC has been associated with healthier births, improved birth weights, reduced risk of infant mortality, and better access to primary and preventive health care. Through the Montefiore WIC program, thousands of new moms have been able to connect with lactation consultants and gather information about the benefits of breastfeeding, as well as attend virtual workshops where they learn about childbirth and hospital stays, sleep practices, car safety, and ways to build and maintain positive family relationships after birth. The opening of Montefiore's fourth WIC program location signifies Montefiore's commitment to improving health outcomes for moms and babies across the Bronx.

About Montefiore Health System
Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information, please visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or view us on Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE Montefiore Health System