Celebrating Buncombe County's WIC Team During World Breastfeeding Week

In celebrating this year’s World Breastfeeding Week which raises awareness and galvanizes action on themes related to breastfeeding, Buncombe County Health and Human Services would like to recognize the work of the WIC Clinic.

WIC is the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), serving as a safeguard for the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. The program provides nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care.

Because breastfeeding is a pillar of the services the program provides, all WIC staff complete one or multiple modules of the USDA’s WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum which provides competency-based training for all levels of WIC staff. 

“This allows the Buncombe County WIC Team to provide comprehensive breastfeeding promotion and support to participating community members,” Nutrition Program Manager Sarah Bennet says.

This year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme is “ENABLING BREASTFEEDING Making a difference for working parents,” bringing attention to the fact that workplace limitations are the most common reason for women to never breastfeed or stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended. This is especially harmful because breastfeeding is considered one of the best investments in children’s and women’s health and survival.

We would like to thank the County’s WIC team for its strong and hard work supporting the breastfeeding families who participate in the Buncombe County WIC Program!

Buncombe County WIC Team:

• Sarah Bennett, Program Manager and Breastfeeding Coordinator – 13 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Katie Clemmer, Nutritionist - 12 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Cindy Escobedo, Medical Office Assistant – 10 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Kimberly Hanna, Medical Office Assistant – 13 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Carrie Jobe, Nutritionist and Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Manager – 8 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Phil Mohr, Nutritionist – 12 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Melinda Robinson, Supervisor and Nutritionist – 13 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Terri Shivers, Medical Office Assistant – 13 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Jennifer Smith, Nutritionist – 9 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Katie Tallman, Supervisor and Nutritionist – 7 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Katherina Tokashiki, Medical Office Assistant – 1 year with Buncombe County WIC
• Marsha Whitt, Medical Office Assistant – 17 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Kimberly Williams, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor – 5 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Teagin Woodrum, Nutritionist – 3.5 years with Buncombe County WIC
• Madison Zimmerman, Nutritionist – 1.5 years with Buncombe County WIC

Local WIC locations include:

HHS WIC Clinic
40 Coxe Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(828) 250-5000

MAHEC OB-GYN Specialists
119 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 771-5436

HHS WIC Clinic West (BCHHS-West)
339 Leicester Highway, Suite 120
Asheville, NC 28806
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m
(828) 250-5000

For more information on the WIC Program, visit this website.