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World AIDS Day Thank-Yous!
Special thanks to these Arlington establishments for their World AIDS Day support!
| Capitol City Brewing Company Bus Boys & Poets Beckett’s Irish Pub Bungalow Billiards & Brew Co. Abi Restaurant The Salsa Room P. Brennans Pub Dama Restaurant Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant | Mexicali Blues Mister Days Ragtime RiRa Irish Pub Spider Kelly’s Whitlow’s Rock Bottom Brewery Ragtime Four Courts |
Arlington County Public Health Division offers free, no-appointment-necessary HIV testing on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Learn more>>
Arlington Food Assistance Program Gets National Award
Outreach efforts raise program awareness; 40% of eligible households now receiving benefits
Arlington’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) has been named a 2011 Hunger Champion by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A federal program operated locally through the Arlington County Department of Human Services, SNAP ensures that children and people with low incomes receive food and the nutrition education they need.
In Arlington, 4,300 households currently receive SNAP benefits, up nearly 14% from this time last year.
“Our partnership with Arlington County is an example of how non-profits and government agencies should work together to bring needed assistance to our community,” said. Lynn Brantley, President and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB), which nominated Arlington’s program for the award. “During the hunger crisis we are facing, we are gratified to be working with Arlington County to increase awareness of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and provide solutions for those in need. Together we have worked to raise SNAP participation in the county to 40 percent for those eligible to receive benefits. This is a major accomplishment, but we still have a long way to go.”
The awards program honors local county assistance offices that provide exemplary outreach and service to clients. Arlington received a 2011 Hunger Champion Bronze Award. Other agencies in the Washington, D.C. metro area that received 2011 Hunger Champion awards are: Fairfax County Department of Human Services, the Income Maintenance Administration in Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County Department of Social Services in Landover.
For more information and to see if you qualify for SNAP benefits, visit https://jupiter.dss.state.va.us/EligibilityScreening/ (scroll down for the screening tool).
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| WIC staff: Front Row (L-R) Maria Moreno, Martha Castillo, Eunice Flor, and Khadija ChaouiBack Row (L-R) Josefina Giron, Ana Caballero, Carl Boulware-Bey, Therese Panagis, and Zulma Vargas |
Arlington WIC Program Wins Breastfeeding Award
The Virginia Department of Health has recognized the Arlington WIC Program for having the highest breastfeeding rate statewide among WIC participants. The 2011 WIC Highest Breastfeeding Rate Award was announced at the annual WIC training conference, held in October. Congratulations to Zulma Vargas, Arlington Breastfeeding Coordinator, and WIC staff for their efforts to promote and support breastfeeding to participating families.
WIC staff educates pregnant women on the benefits of breastfeeding for themselves and their children. After the child’s birth, staff provides mothers with breastfeeding coaching to increase the frequency and duration of breastfeeding. WIC mothers can also receive breast pumps and supplies through the program. Breastfeeding contributes to numerous positive health outcomes and has been shown to have an impact on obesity throughout the life span.
To learn more visit http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/HumanServices/PublicHealth/page76651.aspx
