WIC CIAO Subgrantee Spotlight – Comunidad Materna en Utah

Established as a nonprofit organization in 2017, Comunidad Materna en Utah (CMU) has worked to highlight the importance of doulas during motherhood. CMU’s Doula program provides resources and learning opportunities to Hispanic mothers and families with limited income to help them access adequate prenatal care.

In 2023, CMU was awarded a subgrant for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO). WIC is a federal nutrition program that connects eligible individuals to critical nutrition resources and support. As part of broader modernization efforts, WIC CIAO aims to increase WIC participation through increased enrollment and retention of participants for the full length of their eligibility; increase redemption of benefits; and ensure equity in program access. 

CMU’s project has incorporated WIC outreach and enrollment support into their existing Doula program, which serves Hispanic, Latino/a/é and Pacific Islander communities near Salt Lake City, Utah. Research on the WIC program shows that connecting eligible community members to WIC during pregnancy can have positive effects, such as improved birth outcomes and savings in health care costs. 

We asked CMU Director Mayra Sanchez how WIC CIAO is helping CMU support the physical, nutritional and emotional well-being of Hispanic, Latino/a/é and Pacific Islander mothers, children and families. “WIC CIAO gave us the great opportunity to do our work within the community, connecting with new participants, getting to know them and helping them navigate the WIC eligibility system,” shared Sanchez. “We mostly work with our migrant population who must carry the big, emotional burden of finding themselves outside of their countries. Language, public systems, even adapting to food is different. Our role as promotoras/doulas has been extremely important to help bridge the gaps in understanding the processes of [enrolling in] the programs, and also to support them with resources and information in other areas of their lives.” 

Over the course of their WIC CIAO project, CMU has expanded their partnerships to organizations that serve young children (e.g., Early Head Start) and used community-level data gathered through focus groups to inform outreach and marketing. CMU’s outreach and marketing campaigns have focused on engaging families who reside in rural areas of Utah. For example, CMU has encouraged WIC enrollment in their doula-led pre- and post-partum classes; provided free transportation from an individual’s residence to their nearest WIC clinic to support program enrollment and participation; and tailored WIC-focused marketing materials, including social media messaging, to respond to the specific needs of Hispanic, Latino/a/é and Pacific Islander families in rural Utah. 

As trusted members of the community, the integration of WIC outreach into CMU’s Doula program is an innovative way to help members of their community overcome barriers to participating in WIC, such as confusion over WIC eligibility, mistrust and lack of awareness of federal programs. CMU also leverages their personal relationships and Doula program home visits with WIC-eligible families to provide reliable and culturally/linguistically appropriate information about WIC. 

When asked how CMU’s Doula program may expand as a result of the WIC CIAO subgrant, Sanchez said answering this question almost brought her to tears. “This program has allowed us to see that we can be and are part of a real support to our community. This has given us the opportunity to expand our team, reach other geographic areas and support our promotoras/doulas who have given their time and talent to make the organization move.   

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This feature was originally written by the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact. 

The WIC CIAO Project is a partnership between the Food Research & Action Center, UnidosUS, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, and the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact. This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.