The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) awarded VNA Health Care the WIC Breastfeeding Gold Award of Excellence. Agencies who receive the gold award demonstrate excellence in breastfeeding practices and support. VNA is one of only four Illinois clinics earning this recognition this year.  VNA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women; infants; and children under five years old by providing breastfeeding support, nutritious foods to supplement diets, nutrition counseling, referrals to health care, and more. VNA has built its program based on inclusivity, outreach, and compassionate expertise. Housing two peer counselors, two International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and three Certified Lactation Specialists (CLSs) who desire to educate and support the breastfeeding moms of their community, the clinic has a current caseload of about 4,500 people in southern Kane County. In the third quarter of 2023, 11.2 percent of infants served at VNA locations were exclusively breastfeeding infants, compared to the statewide average of 10.1 percent. Each year, the USDA recognizes organizations nationwide who have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, exemplary processes in breastfeeding support and education with the goal of motivating local agencies to bolster their own programs in order to increase the rates of initiation and duration of breastfeeding among WIC participants.