Grand Opening at WIC and Lincoln Community Health Center’s Chapel Hill Road Site

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On April 28, 2025, we had the privilege of gathering with leaders from Lincoln Community Health Center and the Durham WIC office to celebrate something truly special—the grand opening of their new lactation space at Lincoln Community Health Center’s Lakewood location on Chapel Hill Road. This wasn’t just about a room or a building; it was about a shared commitment to supporting lactating families in Durham with dignity, intention, and care.

From the moment you pull into the parking lot—convenient and surrounded by trusted community partners like El Futuro, El Centro Hispano, and Black Bright Candles,—you feel it: this space is for families. It’s welcoming, spotless, thoughtfully designed, and deeply rooted in community.

A Team That Cares

Tinesha Smith, Director of Operations, spoke with conviction about her vision to grow Lincoln Community Health Center into a thriving, family-centered organization. Her leadership, along with the dedication of the WIC team, shines through in every interaction. The WIC representatives, Murriel Fozard, Interim WIC Director, and Madelyne Falcone, Breastfeeding Coordinator, shared how committed they are in ensuring that WIC is here to support all breastfeeding families. WIC partnered with El Centro Hispano beginning September 1, 2024 and opened a full-service satellite WIC office right next door.

Since the start of the 2024-2025 fiscal years, Lincoln’s WIC Department, has distributed 90 pumps due to updated regulations which reiterates their commitment to supporting breastfeeding families in Durham.

Exclusively breastfeeding parents continue to receive an enhanced food package. WIC continues to support their evolving needs throughout their breastfeeding journey. Durham WIC has made huge strides in accessibility: parents can now utilize Remote Appointments, upload information through the MY WIC Portal online, or walk-in. And pregnant people are strongly encouraged to enroll before giving birth. 

Staffing, Language Access, and Inclusive Support

Durham WIC is also working hard to ensure no family is left behind. The office now includes bilingual staff members who speak Spanish and Hindi. And their newer sites— at El Centro Hispano in Lakewood Shopping Center on Chapel Hill Road, and Families and Communities Rising (formerly known as Head Start) on Seminary Street —are all equipped with dedicated lactation spaces. One of the requests that came out of the evening was for additional “Mother’s Room” signs—We’re looking into that now.

Reflecting on Progress

For those of us who’ve been in the trenches advocating for stronger lactation support in Durham, this moment was deeply emotional. After the meeting, Niki and I called each other and cried—not because of barriers, but because of breakthroughs. The transformation is real. Lactation is no longer sidelined. It’s being centered, honored, and integrated into care.

🌟 Things You Might Not Know About Durham WIC and the New Lactation Space

  • You don’t need an appointment to get support at the WIC office—walk-ins are welcome every day.
  • You can now enroll in Durham WIC over the phone and send documentation by fax. Initial steps can also be started online.
  • Any breastfeeding parent can get an electric breast pump—even if they are combination feeding. Staff will continue to support and guide clients with their breastfeeding goals.
  • All Durham WIC locations have a lactation space—not just the new one on Chapel Hill Blvd!
  • WIC and SNAP require separate enrollment. You can apply at any Durham WIC location, but SNAP enrollment happens through the Durham County Department of Social Services.

A Note on SNAP and WIC

One important clarification: while families often qualify for both WIC and SNAP, the enrollment processes are separate. SNAP enrollment must still be completed at the Durham County Department of Social Services.

However, families can use the same North Carolina WIC referral form and select Lincoln Community Health as their WIC site—and trust us, it’s worth the drive.

📍 Durham WIC Office Locations

Here are the WIC office locations in Durham:​

  1. Lincoln Community Health Center
    • 1301 Fayetteville Street
      Durham, NC 27707
      Phone: (919) 956-4042
      Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  2. Durham County Human Services Building – Clinic A
    • 414 East Main Street, Clinic 2
      Durham, NC 27701
      Phone: (919) 560-7824
      Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  3. Durham County Human Services Building – Clinic B
    • 414 East Main Street, Clinic 1020
      Durham, NC 27701
      Phone: (919) 403-1339
      Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  4. El Centro Hispano
    • 2000 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 26A
      Durham, NC 27707
      Phone: (919) 403-1300
      Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  5. Family and Communities Rising (Head Start)
    • 215 W. Seminary Avenue
      Durham, NC 27701
      Phone: (919) 403-1398
      Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

For more information, visit the Lincoln Community Health Center WIC page:
🔗 Lincoln Community Health Center WIC​

Looking Ahead

We’ve heard wonderful things about other new sites, and we’ll be sharing more updates soon. For now, let’s take a moment to celebrate what’s already here: a clean, accessible, inclusive space that welcomes lactating families and sets a new standard for care in our city.

We see you, Lincoln Community Health. We see you, Durham WIC. Thank you for choosing to show up for families—not just with services, but with love, warmth, and respect.