Contact: Judy McLaughlin, Health Educator
618-244-7134 ext. 21
jmclaughlin@jchdil.org
Mt. Vernon- WIC Program Helps Jefferson County Families
You might be surprised to find out that you may qualify for one of the programs at the Jefferson County Health Department, even though you are working full time and making more than minimum wage. The WIC program has been around for decades and for many families in Jefferson County, the additional help with providing nutritious foods for your children is just an appointment away. “Empowering parents with the nutrition education and tools to make healthy food decisions is essential to the overall health of their family and is what WIC is all about,” states Becky Brooks, Director of Nursing at the Jefferson County Health Department.
Appointments are available 5 days a week and there are two late days a month to accommodate those families that need a later appointment due to their work schedule.
WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children and is a federally funded supplemental nutrition program for those who qualify*. An example of the food package that a child could get through the WIC program monthly are:
4 gallons of milk
36 ounces of cereal
2 lbs of whole wheat bread
1 dozen eggs
2-64 ounce containers of juice
$6 fruits/vegetables
18 ounce jar of peanut butter
A family of three can have a yearly gross income of $34,281 and still qualify for the WIC program. Currently, the Jefferson County Health Department serves approximately 1,000 families and has openings available to help additional families who reside in Jefferson County. To see the income eligibility guidelines click here.
About the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)WIC provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low‐income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, as well as infants and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, which administers the program at the Federal level, provides funds to WIC State agencies. The program is available in all 50 states, 34 Indian Tribal Organizations, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Commonwealth Islands of Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These 90 WIC State agencies administer the program through local agencies and clinic sites. WIC is an equal opportunity program.
For more information about Jefferson County Health Department, please visit http://www.jeffcohealth.blogspot.com/ or call 618-244-7134.
For more information about WIC, please visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/.
*WIC is for pregnant women, postpartum women up to 6 months, breastfeeding women up to 12 months, infants and children up to 5 years of age who qualify for the program by meeting federal income guidelines or receive a current Illinois medical card.
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