BELFAST – MaineHealth Waldo Hospital and Midcoast Maine Community Action (MMCA) are excited to announce a new partnership that will bring a Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program office to Belfast.
The WIC program, which provides comprehensive nutrition care to thousands of Maine families, has been operating remotely in Waldo County since 2020. Thanks to this new partnership, MaineHealth Waldo Hospital will donate space within the hospital, allowing MMCA to operate the Belfast WIC Clinic on-site.
“This partnership reflects MMCA's long-standing dedication to providing essential resources that support the health and well-being of families in our community," said Claire Berkowitz, President and CEO of MMCA. "By expanding our reach through the new in-person Belfast WIC clinic, we are empowering families to access the nutritional support they need to thrive. We are proud to collaborate with MaineHealth Waldo Hospital to help build a healthier, more sustainable future for children and families.”
MMCA administers the WIC program in Waldo County, funded by the US Department of Agriculture. The program serves pregnant and postpartum people (up to 6-12 months), infants, and children up to age five. All caregivers of eligible infants and children are encouraged to enroll, including non-birthing parents, grandparents, foster parents, and more. Participants receive an EBT card to purchase supplemental food such as fruits and vegetables, milk, cheese, yogurt, cereal, whole grains, peanut butter, beans, eggs, canned fish, juice, and infant formula.
The WIC program offers additional services, including the provision of hospital-grade breast pumps and a Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program to assist pregnant and postpartum people in achieving their lactation goals. MMCA’s WIC Nutrition Counselors also provide personalized nutrition education, lactation support, and referrals to various family health and well-being programs.
“MMCA’s commitment to connecting the community with resources that promote health and quality of life, education and social and economic mobility is closely aligned with MaineHealth’s vision of working together to make our communities the healthiest in America,” said Tyson Thornton, PharmD, FACHE, vice president of operations for MaineHealth Waldo Hospital. “We are thrilled to partner with them to stand up a WIC clinic in Waldo County to help connect families to essential resources.”
The Belfast WIC office will be located on the hospital’s ground floor and will open Monday, Dec. 9. For more information about the WIC program, or to make an appointment, please call 207-442-7963.
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About MaineHealth
MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include Maine General Health in Augusta and Waterville and St. Mary's Health System in Lewiston. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.