NH WIC

“Getting to the Heart of the Matter”

Newsletter
Spring 2020

NH WIC inspires, promotes and supports healthy behaviors.

 Hello, My Name is Jennifer Cannella, I have worked
at WIC for 9 months as a Program Assistant
(CAPBMC). I live in Northwood, NH. My boyfriend
Nick, our 3-year-old son Collin and I love to be
outdoors. Our family has a camp in Maine which we
love going to, we enjoy riding in our Side by Side,
kayaking, fishing and going out on the boat during
the summer, and snowmobiling in the winter! We
are lucky enough to be surrounded by our family and
friends and enjoy having them over our house for
gatherings! We have two cats, Timmy & Daisey and
will hopefully be adding a dog to our family soon!

My favorite day at WIC was: During the Holidays when we were able to give a child in
need an amazing Christmas
My Dream Vacation is: To go out west and go back country snowmobiling!
If I won a million $ I would: I would have my parents retire and save the rest!
On Saturday mornings I like to: Have Breakfast on our deck with my family!
My guilty pleasure foods are: Pasta, bread and anything with cheese!
If I did not work for WIC I would: Most likely be a stay at home mom
The person who most influence my life is: I believe there are many people you meet in
your lifetime that have an influential impact on your life, but one person that stands
out to me would be my mother, she taught me how to be the best mom I can be!
My favorite Recipe is: Artichoke Hearts Gratin (Recipe Linked Below)
Secret to a good life is: Be yourself
Best day of my life was: When I had my son!
My favorite saying: We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.
In my life I value most: The time spent and memories I make with
my family and friends
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229454/artichoke-
hearts-gratin
My name is Dean. Previously to being hired by SNHS, I had been a volunteer working for CSFP
for two years in the Nashua office. An opening came up and I applied and am now a WIC clinic
tech. I look at it like “put your money where your mouth is!” I started two months prior to
COVID-19 stay at home order. I have been in New Hampshire for 3 years and moved her from
Colorado.

As far as my background, I went through two

career changes to wind up where I presently
am. I have been a legal admin and a nursing
assistant. I live in Nashua in a historic building
that had been a casket factory. My fur
buddies (neighbor’s animals) include two cats,
a dog and two parrots. We have a trail by the
building and are not far from Mine Falls Park.
It’s great to be by the Nashua River to cool
things down when warm outside. My
husband, Rod, and I take walks and recently
took a road trip to Plymouth as we haven’t
explored New Hampshire until now.

My main interest or hobby is the paranormal. I have been called in regarding poltergeist activity. Another
hobby or past time is flying kites.

My favorite day at WIC was being told I was hired. Then the paperwork had to be done.

If I didn’t work for WIC I would be bored. I am a retiree that returned to work.

My secret to a good life is making other people laugh. Sometimes that is all that’s needed to proceed in
life. It breaks the ice with clients and they seem to be more open and receptive.

My favorite saying is from Steel Magnolias: “I love you more than my luggage”

The last movie I saw in a theater was Aquaman.

The latest book that I’m reading is “Golden Prey” by John Sandford.
 What’s new at SNHS
Emily Siciliano is expecting her first baby with her husband Tom-
congrats Tom and Emily!!
Trish Johnson bought a new house in Chester
Kerianne Hausmann will be starting her dietetic internship later this
month

Michelle Smith got her first dog- a retired greyhound Trish Johnson’s cute co-workers, Bella and Eve!
named Turbo! And just fostered her 14th (!!) cat!

Ann Malconian, working from

home but missing her coworkers
Helen Mason’s coworker, Mabel
The “new normal” with CF distribution!
 What’s new at SCS?
Lindsay Byrne bought her first house in Keene with her husband and soon-
to-be baby girl who is due in August! We can’t wait to meet her!
We are making the most of our time with four Keene State College dietetic
interns working remotely with us. We are able to have them listen in on
calls, write notes, and even be the ones leading the nutrition interview! We
appreciate their positivity throughout all their rotation changes! See Colleen
and Paige’s nutrition article two pages down!

“I have been making it a priority to spend lots of time outdoors. Especially have been loving
getting into the woods and walking my dogs or working outside at the park with my wi-fi hot
spot. Also making it a priority to keep the fridge well stocked with fresh food so I can do lots of
healthy cooking and exploring new recipes has been really fun. There have been some positives
to slowing down life a bit and seeing what the important things really are to health and
happiness.” – Lindsay Byrne

Lindsay working outdoors with

her furry coworkers

“Yoga has been a lifesaver for me to combat sitting all day. It

REALLY makes a difference in how I feel physically and
mentally before and after work.” – Jenn Forte
 Lindsay’s experience working with representatives for Sesame Street’s up and coming
Healthy Habits for Life online Took Kit:

"It was a small group of us and a data analyst

just wanted to collect information about what
WIC is like (since we were all WIC workers), what
challenges we face to help serve our clients and
encourage them to make healthy eating choices.
They are trying to fit a new set of nutrition
education materials to meet our needs best. We encouraged them that presenting the materials
online and also sending out paper materials is best versus having an app to offer to clients, as
WIC already has enough apps and it can get confusing. The message of the nutrition ed materials
that they had drafted was very respectful and involved food dignity, reducing stigma of food
insecurity, encouraging parents to develop skills that can help them feel self-sufficient rather than
relying on handouts such as cooking skills, shopping on a budget, food storage tips, etc. It also
considered child messages that make them feel like they deserve healthy foods for their growing
bodies no matter what situation their families are in. There were some cool little videos with
sesame street characters as well. Hopefully this will be a good resource for us once they come out.
There are current materials available now to access at this website:
https://www.sesamestreet.org/toolkits/healthyhabits." - Lindsay

“Sesame Street Healthy Habits for Life was created to help parents and caregivers encourage
children to build healthy habits early. The project features Sesame Street friends who model fun
ways to move and play and encourage children to explore and enjoy healthy foods.”

- Sesame St project website

 Eating While Working from Home
By: Colleen Salcines and Paige Tautkas KSC Dietetic Interns
After almost four months of working from home, you may be getting the hang of all the extra phone
calls and video chats, but in times of stress, it is common for our eating habits to fall to the wayside. We have
all had moments when we get up from our computer to grab a snack and end up in the kitchen for 30 minutes
picking at 5 different things in the fridge. You then return to your desk to realize; you never actually ate
anything that will keep you full or satisfied. Even without a proper workplace or schedule, there are ways to
balance your intake at home and create a regular eating routine. Try to incorporate some of these tips into your
daily routine…

1. If you are able, make your workspace and meal space separate. Separating your work
and eating spaces allows your meal time to be more intuitive, without the distractions from work. Enjoy
your meals at a kitchen table or another room different from where you spend the day working.
2. Keep to the meal schedule you had before quarantine. This will make sure you are still
getting balanced meals in throughout your day. Set alarms on your phone to keep you on schedule, and
take breaks as if you were in the office.
3. When you eat… Just Eat! Try to remove the distractions that come with you to the kitchen table.
Eating intuitively means focusing on the senses while you eat and becoming familiar with your bodies
hunger and fullness cues when having meals. This can easily be done by eliminating the electronics and
just enjoy.
4. Stock your fridge and pantry with foods that make you feel good. What does this mean?
Focus on buying whole foods that provide you nutritional benefits. Come up with a list of grocery
staples. This will include foods you enjoy and that are perfect to throw in most meals. Some common
staples may be rice, pasta, sauce, condiments, beans, tuna, potatoes, frozen veggies, etc.
5. When you feel the need to grab a snack, have your go-to snacks on hand. By having
your go to balanced snacks on hand, less time is dedicated to standing in the kitchen and deciding what
to have. Try portioning the snacks out like you would if you were bringing them into the office, this
prevents over snacking and they will last longer. Great options include carrots or cucumbers with
hummus, apple with peanut butter, trail-mix and yogurt with granola and fresh fruit.
6. Acknowledge your emotions and feelings during this stressful time. Take note of how
you feel throughout the day including when you eat and how it made you feel. Talk with friends or
family about how you’re feeling or write in a journal.
7. Make cooking fun! Pick a few recipes that you can look forward to making. Make cooking a family
affair, giving each member a specific task to complete the recipe. This makes cooking fun rather than a
chore.
8. Prepare ahead of time. Just because you are not bringing lunch to work with you does not mean
you cannot meal prep. Meal prep early in the week or make extras at dinner, that can be easily reheated
to make lunch break a less stressful time of your day.

As the new normal of working from home continues, make sure to fuel yourself with delicious and
nutritious foods throughout your day. Try out some of these tips and see what works for you!
 Goodwin Community Health WIC program would like to congratulate

Linda Leslie on her retirement. Linda originally was hired in WIC as a

Breastfeeding Peer Counselor in 1994. After her time as a BFPC she was

promoted to Administrative Assistant. She has worked diligently and

professionally as the customer service representative for Goodwin

Community Health WIC for 26 years. She was the first voice you would

hear when you called the WIC phone line at Goodwin. Clients knew her

from her informative answers and breastfeeding support to new moms.

Staff knew her for her friendly smile, creative energy, organization and

friendship. We want to congratulate Linda and thank her for her time

servicing our WIC clients! Enjoy your time with your son, daughters and

grandchildren, we miss you already!

 Occasionally, I am able to go up to lake Winnipesaukee and work
on a porch overlooking the water. - Hailey

Hailey and Ian at York Harbor

Ivy likes to spend her free time hiking with her dog Pipen and fishing near Mount Katahdin. Ivy
is also enjoying having less traffic, the price of gas, things are cleaner, hearing the birds singing
during the day, animals coming back to the beaches, her meditation has been more significant,
and having more time to hike, paint, and complete home repairs. It felt empowering to use a
plethora of tools again.

Deni likes to get outside to get sun and fresh air every day, even if it is only to eat lunch.
 “Taking a soaking bath, listening to music” – Kina Ferreira

I am working in my perennial garden, creating new

garden areas in my yard, planting annuals, finally
getting my Aerogarden started that my sons gave me
for Christmas, hiking trails in Bow I didn’t know
existed, watching Netflix – catching up on some new
and old things – watched “Derry Girls” for the third
time and laughed as hard as I did the first two times!!”
– Susan Wnuk

Aerogarden explosion– notice

the dill named Audrey after the
“Little Shop of Horrors”

“I developed a hobby of perfecting my bread making. I've always

found good bread challenging to make, and with more time spent
at home on the weekends it gave me an opportunity to work on my
skills. I even developed a sourdough starter. YouTube exercise videos.
I really like Fitness Blender. Before I was in a rut doing the same
thing every workout, but have learned some new techniques by branching out. Lots of hiking!
Since COVID I have found many new hikes within 30 minutes of my home that are beautiful
and quiet. I might not have found them before, but was looking for ones that wouldn't be busy
and love them.” – Jessica Favazza
 Bangor Savings Bank provided CAPBMCI in
May with lunch from Wrap City to thank us
for supporting the community. Pictured:
Jennifer Cannella-Program Assistant
Jean Zanni-Nutritionist
Wendy Bedard- Program Assistant
Jessica Favazza-Nutrition Coordinator

Tom Fritscka, Warehouse Manager, safely

preparing for a no contact distribution
Hypertherm donated face shields for in
person clinics to the WIC staff at CAPBMCI.
*cue the Star Wars music*

Staffs at CAPBMCI go through contact and

symptoms checkpoints and daily temperature
checks upon arrival to the office. CAPBMCI WIC provided contact free pick
up or drop off sites for participants at our
main offices in Concord and Littleton.
“Started to do more yoga and trying meditation (not always easy with 2 new
kittens in the house) and getting outdoors every day!” - Kristina

Kristina’s coworkers
looking very professional

“I try to go for a walk each day with my dog Sasha, horseback riding and
have reclaimed an over grown garden plot and trying to grow more
flowers and herbs—pulling weeds is therapeutic!” – Fran

Fran’s horse, Mariah

Laurie’s coworkers sleeping on the job

“Taking rides in the Miata. Girlfriend zoom

chats.” - Laurie

“Keeping the same schedule, lots of yard

work, and staying in touch with family and
friends.” – Tara

Tara’s cute coworkers Cash and Bella

“My husband decided to start playing the piano and singing and I forgot to mute
my phone.” – Kristina

“My son decided to put makeup on my husband during a

work zoom call he had with 40+ people. And he just let
it happen.” – Jess

Jess taking a break with

her silly coworkers

“Answered my door at 10:00 in the morning in comfy (sweat pants and sweat shirt)
clothes and the neighbor asks if I am working from home. Lol, why yes I am…”
- Laurie

Fran’s coworker
George says it’s
time to take a
break!

“It finally happened — I worked all day in PJs a few

days the first week of June!” – Fran
Jessica Favazza (CAPBMC): I developed a hobby of perfecting my bread
making. I've always found good bread challenging to
make, and with more time spent at home on the
weekends it gave me an opportunity to work on my
skills. I even developed a sourdough starter.

Cheeseburger Mac (gluten free) – Kina Ferreira

(CAPBMC)

1 lb. gluten free noodles

1 package cheese (I use Velveeta)
4 cups milk
ketchup
yellow mustard
2 jars of spaghetti sauce
1 package of beef
Italian seasoning

1. Brown up beef with some Italian seasoning

2. Put water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil noodles until done.
3. Drain grease from browned beef. Put aside.
4. Drain noodles and put aside.
5. In the saucepan, you cooked the noodles in, put in your cheese and milk. Mix
until cheese is completely melted.
6. Add Spaghetti sauce, noodles and meat
7. Add ketchup and mustard until it tastes like a cheeseburger.

Optional: can add some relish on the side or mix it into your bowl.

Feeds 4.
Michelle Smith (SNHS): We tried Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
courtesy of Binging with Babish (We've watched the entire series while
quarantined). I highly recommend this YouTube channel, especially his series
recreating recipes from movies and TV series!

Jen Chabot (SNHS): Roasted portobello mushrooms with balsamic vinegar and
fresh mozzarella cheese.

Chipotle Quinoa and Black Bean Burger - Jessica Favazza

 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

 1/4 cup quinoa
 1/2 cup water
 1/2 cup bread crumbs
 1/4 cup minced yellow bell pepper
 2 tablespoons minced onion
 1 large clove garlic, minced
 2 Tbsp cilantro (optional)
 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low,
cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed,
about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Roughly mash the black beans with a fork or masher leaving some whole black
beans in a paste-like mixture.
4. Chop garlic, onion, peppers, and cilantro.
5. Mix the quinoa, bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin,
chipotle, salt, and egg into the black bean mixture and mix until well combined.
6. Form patties with your hand.
7. Spray baking sheet or place on parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes, or
until burger is firm.
8. Serve with your favorite burger toppings.
Trish Johnson (SNHS): I made an apple bread that tastes just like apple crisp:

Apple Bread
3 c. flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 c. cut up apples
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
3 beaten eggs
2 t cinnamon

Directions: Use cooking spray, cook at 350 for 30 min.

Helen Mason (SNHS): I tried the sourdough trend that was going on at first- but
it takes way too long! I’m glad I can find yeast again!

Hailey’s baking (GCH)

Helen’s sourdough
bread
“I think remote options have really removed a lot of barriers for participants with
transportation. The lines could easily get blurred I think with accommodating
more over the phone appointments, however, but it is something to think about.”
– Lindsay Byrne

“Electronically sending in proofs so participants won’t forget their documents and

it helps streamline their time at WIC.” – Jessica Favazza

” I would love to keep over the phone follow up appointments to ease the burden
of families. I have also enjoyed and would like to keep zoom meetings to cut down
travel time.” – Elise Perry

“Deni would like to continue to do nutrition visits, that don’t warrant any anthros
or bloodwork, over the phone. She would also like to continue the waiver to get
appropriate paperwork for 19kcal and RSF, rather than 30 days. I, Hailey, would
agree with this. We would like to continue a monthly zoom meeting with the state,
to check in and go over updates even if it is only 30 minutes long.”
- Hailey

“New work phones that can use talk to text to help with clients.” - Sarah Carignan

“Honestly, the flexibility to be able to do remote appointments has been so

beneficial and appreciated by both staff and participants.” - Michelle Smith

“Staying connected with other staff around the state - the weekly zooms have
been really helpful.” - Helen Mason
“Getting a group of friends together. I miss having people over or going to a
friend's house for game night. Celebrating birthdays and weddings, and actually
being able to hug our loved ones again.” – Jessica Favazza

“I am looking forward to interacting with people again from coworkers, client,

friends, and families. Along with going to the beaches!” – Hailey King

“I will never take another social event for granted again!” – Michelle Smith