Expectant and young families are invited to attend a free Healthy Baby Festival hosted by Catholic Charities of BuffaloWomen, Infant and Children (WIC) nutrition program on Wednesday, Aug. 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sheridan Park – Shelter #2 located at 900 Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda. 
“Now in our 15th year of hosting the Healthy Baby Festival, we continue to hold the event during World Breastfeeding Week to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding,” said Katie Constantino, WIC breastfeeding coordinator, Catholic Charities. “There’s also plenty of information for parents and caregivers to give their babies a healthy start coupled with some fun for the toddler crowd!”
Sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network, the event features free activities for children including a magic show, character visits, facepainting and balloon animals, along with important resources for parents on infant and child safety, nutrition, breastfeeding, and more. Vendors participating this year include Catholic Charities food pantries, preventative services and WIC breastfeeding peer counselors, Catholic Health, Childcare Resource Network, Erie County Department of Health Office of Health Equity, Erie County Lead Prevention, Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center, Fidelis, Head Start, Jericho Road, Molina, Nurse Family Partnership, Oishei Children’s Hospital, Our Mommie Village, Perinatal Bereavement Network, Say Yes, Snap-Ed, and United Way.
WIC offers nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, prenatal and postpartum support, referrals, and supplemental food vouchers. WIC services are available through application to married or single parents, foster parents, or other legal guardians of a child under five. All services offered are free of charge. Catholic Charities administers WIC in Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara counties. Last year, the program impacted nearly 92,000 individuals across the three counties.
For more information about WIC, go to ccwny.org/wic or call 716-218-1484.
