The National WIC Association has recognized the ongoing effort to improve the healthfulness of WIC food packages by United Fresh and United’s Vice President of Nutrition and Health Dr. Lorelei DiSogra with their National WIC Leadership Award.

The award was presented Sunday during the association's annual Leadership Conference in Washington. The award recognized United's leadership and commitment over the last five years to one of the most significant policy changes in the program’s history: the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables to WIC food packages, benefitting 9.4 million mothers and their young children. It is expected that in 2010 the vouchers will result in $750 million in new produce sales.   

In accepting the award, Dr. DiSogra expressed her honor and noted, "We are not finished. We still need to fight to ensure that Congress increases the value of the children's fruit and vegetable voucher to $8 per month, as well as increases the value of the fruit and vegetable voucher for fully-breastfeeding mothers to $12 per month. I am committed to working together with you to accomplish this."

Dr. DiSogra also gave a special thanks to the state of California for its vision to pilot test WIC fruit and vegetable vouchers and prove their value and efficacy.

"United Fresh has worked for the past decade to change WIC policy to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables are available to all WIC families," said Dr. DiSogra. "This award recognizes United’s dedication to accomplishing this policy goal that now benefits not only millions of WIC families, but the produce industry as well."