Joe Thornton
Office of Communications & Legislative Affairs
West Virginia Department of health and Human Resources
Phone: 304-558-7899 Fax: 304-558-7075
Cell: 304-546-7960 e-mail: josephthornton@wvdhhr.org

For immediate release

WIC, the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, recently expanded eligibility by raising the program’s income guidelines. The income guidelines take effect April 1, 2004.

Following are the new income guidelines:

a household of one and the yearly gross income is not greater than $17,224;

a household of two and the yearly gross income is not greater than $23,107;

a household of three and the yearly gross income is not greater than $28,990; and,

a household of four with the yearly gross income is not greater than $34,873 will qualify for the supplemental food program.

The new guidelines will allow more pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women to take advantage of the program as well as infants and children up to age 5. Participants of the program must meet the United States Department of Agriculture income standards and have a nutrition need identified.

WIC participants receive free food vouchers for specific foods such as juice, cereal, milk, cheese, eggs, beans or peanut butter. Infants who are not breastfed are provided infant formula, juice and cereal. WIC foods are given to increase iron, calcium, protein and Vitamins A and C, several of the essential nutrients in our diets. In addition, WIC operates a summer farmer’s market program in several select locations based upon availability and funding in order to provide fresh grown fruit and vegetables.

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