LOS ANGELES—PHFE WIC, a program of Heluna Health and the nation’s largest Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) agency, has been awarded the California Breastfeeding Coalition’s 2025 Workplace Excellence in Lactation Award for its longstanding commitment to employee lactation support.
The award was presented June 28, during the coalition’s annual gala, which honors organizations that model best practices in creating breastfeeding-friendly work environments. PHFE WIC was recognized for its wraparound approach to perinatal support, including staff members choosing their lactation support person, monthly prenatal and breastfeeding support groups, flexible return-to-work policies, paid lactation breaks for employees available until their baby turns 2, hospital-grade pumps in private lactation rooms, and ongoing peer and clinical support for working parents.
“At PHFE WIC, breastfeeding is not just supported, it’s celebrated,” said Kiran Saluja, MPH, RDN, executive director of PHFE WIC. “We’ve built a system where employees can thrive as both professionals and parents, and we are proud to lead by example in lactation equity.”
Since launching its Employee Perinatal Support Program in 1996, PHFE WIC has made workplace lactation support a cornerstone of its organizational culture. As a result, in 2024, 100% of PHFE WIC employee parents initiated breastfeeding, with every child exclusively breastfed for a full year. Additionally, 64% of those children were breastfed through their second year, aligning with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Employees receive prenatal education, access to a network of 27 International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and monthly support groups, which are also open to partners. Early and ongoing check-ins throughout the return-to-work transition help to ensure parents have the resources they need to continue breastfeeding confidently.
“Our program is grounded in compassion, community and evidence-based methods,” Saluja said. “When workplaces prioritize families, they don’t just retain talent, they strengthen those families and set a powerful example for other employers. Something I believe in is, ‘How can you ask your staff to offer compassionate support to the WIC participants if you are not supportive of them?’”
The California Breastfeeding Coalition’s annual awards highlight statewide leaders in building lactation-friendly environments across sectors.
About PHFE WIC
PHFE WIC, a program of Heluna Health, is the largest WIC agency in the country. The program serves parents, infants and children in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. PHFE WIC is nationally recognized as a leader and innovator in nutrition education, breastfeeding support, staff training, customer service and outreach to community partners.
About Heluna Health
For more than 50 years, Heluna Health has collaborated with community-based organizations, public health agencies, healthcare systems, providers and policymakers to enhance public health interventions that support expanded access to disease prevention, treatment, care and social resources. Heluna Health is at the forefront of efforts to research, develop and expand community-led interventions aimed at systemic change and improved health outcomes.
Read more at helunahealth.org: More Families Now Qualify for WIC Under New Income Guidelines
