City of Port Arthur Health Department

11/10/2025

The Port Arthur Health Department will be closed this Tuesday, November 11, for Veterans Day. We will reopen on Wednesday, November 12.

11/08/2025

So happy to be part of Destiny Church's Community Baby Sprinkle today! This event brought local organizations together with pregnant moms in our community 💜

Port Arthur WIC/HMBJC Director Brandy Patteson and Nurse-Family Partnership Supervisor Karla Quigley had the opportunity to talk with moms one-on-one and connect them with resources for their specific needs. Each momma received an HMBJC gift basket with breastfeeding and safe infant sleep materials, plus info on mom-and-baby programs like WIC, Nurse-Family Partnership, and more!

We even ran into HMBJC coalition member Lene from Molina Healthcare! It was a wonderful day of connection and conversation, and we’re excited for many more to come!

Huge thank you to Destiny Church for hosting such an awesome event for moms and babies! 💜✨

11/08/2025

"When Port Arthur sisters, Judith Smith and Dianne Marks, both registered nurses, were diagnosed with breast cancer just a week apart in 2015, their world shifted overnight. But rather than letting fear take over, the sisters did what they’d done all their lives- they showed up, for their patients and for each other."

Port Arthur Health Director Judith Smith and her sister Dianne Marks share their breast cancer journey in this recent article from the Port Arthur News!

Read more about this story of "resilience, faith and sisterhood" here:

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... When Port Arthur sisters, Judith Smith and Dianne Marks, both registered nurses, were diagnosed with breast cancer just a week apart in 2015, their world shifted overnight. But rather than letting fear take over, the sisters did what they’d done all their...

11/07/2025

The Port Arthur Health Department is organizing a Community Food Drive to support local families affected by the recent removal of SNAP benefits.

📅 Wednesday, November 19

🕣 8:30 a.m. – While Supplies Last

📍 Port Arthur Health Department
5860 9th Avenue

In order to be eligible to receive food at the food drive, residents must be able to provide proof of receival of SNAP benefits. This could include an EBT card.

11/05/2025

Safe Sleep Shoutout ✨

This week, Port Arthur WIC Director Brandy Patteson represented Jefferson County at the DSHS Injury Prevention Conference in Austin! Brandy also serves as Program Director for Healthy Mothers & Babies of Jefferson County (HMBJC), one of our awesome community programs focusing on safe infant sleep and breastfeeding support 💜

As a “Let’s Talk – Safe Infant Sleep” panelist, Brandy shared the exciting impact of HMBJC’s work across Southeast Texas, highlighting our train-the-trainer sessions and free parent classes. She also teamed up with safe sleep champions from across Texas, exchanging ideas and learning new strategies for Jefferson County families!

We’re thrilled to be part of these statewide conversations, and we’re so grateful to have passionate advocates working to support our community moms and babies 💜

Thank you for being a Safe Sleep Champion, Brandy! 💜💙✨

10/30/2025

Each year about 3,700 babies die from sleep-related death in the U.S. Another fact: most of these deaths can be prevented by practicing safe infant sleep.

That’s why we’re offering a FREE safe infant sleep class for parents and caregivers!

Class Details:
📆 TODAY, Thursday, October 30
⏰ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
📍 Port Arthur Health Department
📍 5860 9th Ave, Port Arthur, TX (Door #3)

This class is for everyone who cares for your baby – mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, babysitters, and other friends or family members.

Here’s what you’ll learn:
💙 Myths and facts around safe sleep
💙 What a safe sleep environment looks like
💙 Creating a safe sleep plan for your family
💙 Community resources for safe sleep
💙 And more!

Questions about this class? Call us at (409) 983-8875.

10/27/2025

The federal government may be shut down, but Port Arthur WIC is open! We’re here and ready to serve your family.

The WIC program is business as usual, so you can still:
✅ Shop with your WIC card
✅ Go to appointments
✅ Attend classes
✅ Schedule 1-on-1 counseling with RDs or IBCLCs
✅ and more!

Have questions about WIC during the shutdown? Call us at (409) 983-8875.

10/25/2025

Cooler nights are finally here, which means kale is ready to thrive in your garden! This leafy green is an antioxidant powerhouse, bringing both flavor and nutrition to the dinner table 😋

✨ Vitamin K for bone and blood health
✨ Vitamin C for immune support
✨ Fiber for digestion and lasting fullness
✨ Nutrients that support eye and heart health

Fun fact: Kale gets sweeter after a light frost! 🥶

Add kale to your fall garden by following these Zone 9 growing tips:

🥬 Direct-sow or transplant kale in rich, well-draining soil
Sow 1/4–1/2" deep or set healthy starts once nights cool (Usually ~Sept-Dec / Feb-Mar)

🥬 Mulch, mulch, mulch!
Mulch is amazing for keeping soil moist, but did you know it also keeps your plants healthy? Mulch reduces soil splash from rain or watering, keeping bacteria off your leaves!

🥬 Space 12–18 inches apart
Proper spacing helps with plant growth. It’s also important for airflow, especially in our humid climate! Too much moisture brings plant diseases and pests.

🥬 Avoid overhead watering
Avoid overhead watering your plants, especially leafy greens! “Bottom watering” at the base prevents soil splash on leaves and lowers the risk of plant diseases!

🥬 Boost with an organic plant food!
Nitrogen fertilizers are great for leafy greens! Use your favorite compost or companion plant with beans. Legumes (like beans and peas) put nitrogen back into the soil, making it a fantastic plant friend for kale.

Keep learning about fall garden veggies at our FREE gardening classes!

RSVP here: Free Gardening Classes: Roots & Shoots! 🥕🥬🪏

10/17/2025

Let the BEETS drop 😎🥬🪏 Try these ruby red root veggies that pack some serious nutrition benefits:

✨ Folate for healthy cell growth
✨ Fiber for digestion
✨ Potassium and nitrates for healthy blood pressure

Fun fact: Beet “seeds” are actually clusters: one seed ball can sprout multiple seedlings!

Zone 9 gardening tips for beets:

🪏 Plant in deep, loose, well-draining soil
Loosen 8–12" and remove rocks! Heavy soil? Try a "round" type!

🪏 Always direct-sow seeds
Sow 1/2" deep; expect multiple sprouts per seed cluster and plan to thin.

🪏 Keep soil moist with mulch
Germination takes 7–14 days; a thin mulch or burlap helps keep the soil moist. Remove when you see sprouts!

🪏 Thin to 2-4 inches apart
Snip extras at the soil line (or "thin") once true leaves appear to avoid stunted plants.

🪏 Succession sow fall through early spring
Sow every 2–3 weeks during Sept-Nov and Feb-Mar for steady beet harvests.

Learn more about fall veggies at our FREE gardening classes!

RSVP: Free Gardening Classes: Roots & Shoots! 🥕🥬🪏

10/16/2025

“The Grow With Me Community Garden could be considered a hidden gem, but if you drive around to the back of the Port Arthur Health Department, you’ll find it.”

Check out this week’s “Culinary Thrill Seeking” article in the Port Arthur News! We’re so excited to see our fall themed community garden featured as a local “hidden gem” 💚 Huge shout out to Darragh Doiron for the positive words!

There’s always something fun happening at the garden. During October, visit our fall-themed photo ops, have lunch at the picnic tables, or come on Wednesdays for our Free Gardening Classes: Roots & Shoots! 🥕🥬🪏

Read more at:

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Bring your little pumpkin spices to a photo op in a fun fall setting. It’s free, and you’ll likely learn a little something. The Grow With Me Community Garden could be considered a hidden gem, but if you drive around to the back of the Port Arthur Healt...

10/12/2025

⚠️ REMINDER: WIC Clinic will be closed Oct 13-14 ⚠️

The Port Arthur WIC program will be closed Monday, October 13th and Tuesday, October 14th. We will reopen for normal business hours on Wednesday, October 15th.

For immediate assistance, please contact the Texas WIC state office at https://texaswic.org/about-wic/contact-us

⚠️ La clínica WIC estará cerrada del 13 al 14 de octubre ⚠️

El programa WIC de Port Arthur estará cerrado el lunes 13 de octubre y el martes 14 de octubre. Reabriremos con horario normal el miércoles 15 de octubre.

Para asistencia inmediata, comuníquese con la oficina estatal de Texas WIC: https://texaswic.org/.../quienes.../comunicate-con-nosotros

10/07/2025

What’s up, doc? 🥕🐰 It’s carrot season!

These orange root veggies are best known for their vitamin A, but they pack a nutrition punch:

✨ Vitamin A for eye health and immunity
✨ Fiber for digestion and steady fullness
✨ Potassium for healthy blood pressure

Did you know: Carrots come in many colors, like orange, purple, yellow, red, cream, and white!

Check out these Zone 9 gardening tips for carrots:

🥕 Plant in deep, loose, well-draining soil
Aim for 12–18" of loosened, rock-free soil for longer roots. Not an option? Choose a baby carrot variety or Chantenay/Danvers type.

🥕 Always direct-sow seeds
Transplanting disturbs the taproot. Direct-sow 1/4" deep for happy carrots!

🥕 Keep seeds moist with a light cover
Germination can take 7–21 days! Use a thin mulch or burlap to hold moisture. Remove when you start seeing sprouts.

🥕 Thin to 2 inches apart
Snip crowded carrots at the soil line when seedlings are 1–2" tall (aka “thinning”). Without proper spacing, seedlings compete for light, water, and nutrients. This leads to stunted and unhappy carrots!

🥕 Go easy on nitrogen
Too much nitrogen means lots of leaves and funky roots. Skip high nitrogen fertilizers and avoid planting with beans. (Why? Legumes enrich soil with nitrogen, making it a great companion plant for nitrogen-loving veggies and leafy greens!)

Learn more about carrots and other fall veggies at our FREE gardening classes!

RSVP here ➡️ Free Gardening Classes: Roots & Shoots! 🥕🥬🪏