The not-for-profit North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) has been designated for the fourth straight year as a Breast-feeding Friendly Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Clinic and been awarded $13,000 for staff support.NECAC was one of 44 local WIC contracting agencies that received the designation through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The agency provides WIC services in Warren and St. Charles counties.To achieve the honor, NECAC met criteria for educational, promotional and support services. NECAC WIC staff members were required to complete training, assess clients and work in collaboration with other health providers while working with mothers to encourage breast feeding, offer peer counselors and provide additional support outside the clinics.“It takes a level of commitment and involvement by everyone in the program to become a Breast-feeding Friendly Clinic,” said NECAC Deputy Director for Community Health Programs Brenda Fuqua.WIC is a supplemental USDA food program that provides free nutritious foods and nutrition education to pregnant, breast-feeding and postpartum women and teens, infants and children up to age 5. Participants must meet WIC income guidelines and be determined by a health professional to be at nutritional risk.In addition to Fuqua, the program is overseen by Director Claudia Timbrook, a registered nurse certified and a family nurse practitioner, with Licensed Dietician Nutritionist Nancy McCabe and Registered Dietician Nutritionist Jackie Brown.NECAC serves more than 18,000 people through the program each year in Warren and St. Charles counties through a contract with the Department of Health and Senior Services.NECAC is a 12-county area social service, community health and public housing Community Action Agency that contracts with federal, state and local governments, private businesses and other not-for profit organizations to operate and administer self-sufficiency service programs for the low-income, elderly, youth, disabled and disadvantaged population. The agency’s Central Administration Offices are located in Bowling Green, with NECAC Service Centers operated in each county.In Warren County, WIC sessions are held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the NECAC Warren County Service Center at 120 E. Main in Warrenton.In St. Charles County, WIC is offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the NECAC St. Charles County Service Center at 3400 Meadow Pointe Drive in O’Fallon.Expanded hours include appointments the second Saturday in Warrenton and the third Saturday in O’Fallon each month. Appointments are encouraged. The telephone number is 636-456-2933 in Warrenton and 636-240-7350 in O’Fallon.NECAC