Celebrating 50 Years of WIC: New York Families Benefit from Food and Nutrition Program

What you should know

• The Federal Supplemental Nutrition Program, known as WIC, celebrates 50 years of offering healthy foods and nutritional benefits to children and pregnant women in the country, including New York families, regardless of their immigration status. The program not only offers the list of foods the family needs each month, but also has benefits such as appointments with nutritionists, talks about breastfeeding, and more.
• Although many people could receive this help, a national study showed that only 50% of people who qualify for the WIC program have applied for it. In New York State there are about 425,000 participants per month.
• The New York State Department of Health added Spanish as a language option for “Wanda,” a virtual assistant who helps people learn and connect with the program

NEW YORK — The Federal Supplemental Nutrition Program, known as WIC, marks 50 years of offering healthy foods and nutritional benefits to children and pregnant women in the country, including New York families, regardless of their status. migratory. The program not only offers the list of foods the family needs each month, but also has benefits such as appointments with nutritionists, talks about breastfeeding, and more.

This free program began in 1974 to change the situation of minors suffering from anemia. Today it is a valuable tool for families who qualify by providing them with the best support in their nutrition.

“It is a nutrition program for low-income families. Participants are pregnant women, lactating women, infants and children up to the age of five. Grandparents and parents can also apply for their children,” said Iris E. Marchante, associate director of nutrition at the New York Department of Health. “This program helps with nutrition and health advice, but it also helps with healthy products such as cereals, milk, eggs.”

Although many people could receive this help, a national study showed that only 50% of people who qualify for the WIC program have applied for it, Marchante said. In New York State there are about 425,000 participants per month. 25% of the people who are in the program choose Spanish as their language, which showed that Hispanic families are also benefiting from this help.

That’s why the New York State Department of Health added Spanish as a language option for “Wanda,” a virtual assistant who helps people learn and connect with the program.

“We know that nutrition and food security are fundamental to the good health of children and adults, which is why it is so important that we allow as many people as possible to access the benefits of the New York WIC program,” said the commissioner of State Health, Dr. James Macdonald. “By adding a Spanish-speaking ‘Wanda’ to our website, we hope to reduce accessibility barriers to equitable health for even more New Yorkers.”

Wanda offers a quick and easy online chat where people can check their eligibility for the WIC program and request a referral to the WIC office of their choice. The Department aims to provide greater and more equitable access to WIC through Spanish-speaking Wanda, particularly for traditionally underserved communities.

The New York State WIC program provides breastfeeding support, nutrition education, referrals to other services, and nutritious foods to approximately 425,000 women, infants, and children each month. Participation in WIC has been associated with healthier births, better birth weight, reduced risk of infant mortality, and improved access to primary and preventive health care, among other positive health outcomes.

Below we give you more details about this program.

Who qualifies for WIC

• Pregnant women
• Mothers of babies up to 6 months
• Mothers breastfeeding babies up to 12 months.
• Babies and toddlers up to 5 years old.
• Parents and caregivers can apply on behalf of children. For example grandparents.
• Living in New York State
• Follow rules about income limits or get Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF benefits
• Have a dietary need
• You can receive WIC if: You are not a US citizen and if you or another member of your household works.

What the WIC program offers

Nutrition Tips

• Learn how to make healthier choices and be more active.
• Nutritionists can help you plan healthy meals.
• Talk to other parents for support.

Breastfeeding support

• Trained breastfeeding experts.
• Other mothers who are trained to provide support for breastfeeding.
• Breast pumps for mothers who need them.
• Special foods for breastfeeding mothers.

Nutritious meals

• Milk, cheese, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, 100% juice, whole wheat pasta, rice, bread, cereal, formula,
  eggs, baby food and more.

Referrals to other services

• Breastfeeding experts
• Baby well-being and child care
• Medicaid
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Family planning
• Head Start
• Domestic violence
• Give up smoking
• Vaccines
• Prenatal care
• Substance use
• Cancer prevention

How does the program work

Families will receive a card where all the products they need are placed and then the beneficiary can go to the warehouses or supermarkets that accept WIC and from there make an electronic transaction with that card to receive the products they need.

WIC and children

WIC food packages are designed to promote a healthy weight. Studies show that
Children who are on WIC do better in school. Additionally, mothers who are on WIC are more likely to have babies with a healthy birth weight.

Where can I find more information and the Wanda virtual tool

Get more informationLearn about the WIC program in New York State here and chat with Wanda in English or Spanish by clicking on her photo in the bottom corner right of the web page.

Wanda helps people find one of the program’s nearly 100 offices in New York where they can enroll.

In addition, you can also call 1-800-522-5006 or visit the website for more information.

2024-04-04 18:53:42
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