Many people probably think of the food vouchers when they first think of WIC. It’s always wonderful to see families enroll in the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program and use the vouchers we provide to purchase healthy and nutritious food for themselves and their children. However, we don’t want them to forget about all the other complimentary services available to them and their families through WIC. The benefit of WIC starts at the food, but it goes much further in improving the lives of children, mothers and families.
The checks will guide them in making informed and healthy decisions at the supermarket, and WIC’s nutrition education will tell them why those are smart choices and help them made additional smart choices when choosing food for the family. Women will learn exactly what their child needs at different stages of their lives to promote strong and healthy growth. They will also discover what nutrients they should be taking in if they are pregnant, breast feeding and/or a young mom.
WIC also offers breastfeeding support and education for new moms and will explain to them the health benefits behind it. Women may also take advantage of WIC’s individual counseling and receive referrals for other health and human services.
Women and children enrolled in WIC will receive nutrition and health support in the form of iron deficiency screenings, immunization records checks and dental health counseling. It’s important to practice healthy nutrition and eating habits, but also to monitor their effects on the body.
In addition to supermarket vouchers, women will receive farmer’s market vouchers to purchase the freshest in locally grown produce. They can take a day trip to the farmer’s market with their young family, and enjoy their day together while they shop for healthy foods. It’s important for them to know where to find the healthiest foods available. So as you can see there’s more to WIC than just vouchers! MFHS supports those vouchers with nutritional knowledge that women and children can take with them the rest of their lives. You can learn more about WIC and its benefits at our website.