wic 2008

Ozark County Health Department

WIC Mission Statement

To improve the nutritional health status of financially eligible women, infants, and children in Missouri who are at nutritional risk by providing nutrition education, supplemental foods, and referrals to health care.

WHAT IS WIC?

WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. WIC provides foods that are especially important during pregnancy and growth. WIC is for lower to moderate income families, but is not a welfare program. WIC is a nutrition education program that many working families can qualify for.

BENEFITS OF WIC:

Healthy Foods: WIC provides eligible participants with a variety of highly nutritious supplemental foods, including milk, cheese, eggs, peanut butter, beans, fruit juice and cereal. Breastfeeding moms get additional foods like tuna and carrots because of their increased nutritional needs. WIC encourages breastfeeding, since human breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants, however, WIC also provides infant formula, as well as infant cereal and juice.

Nutrition Information: Through the nutrition education offered by the WIC program, prenatal and mothers learn not only about their specific nutritional needs but also those of their infants and children. Participants are given menu and recipe ideas for well balanced meals as well as shopping tips. Individual nutrition counseling services are also provided.

Together, the foods and nutrition activities will help you to have a healthier pregnancy, and will help your child grow up as healthy as possible. WIC can help women to have healthier babies; children who participate in WIC do better in school and have fewer medical problems.

Health Screenings: WIC provides free health screenings to all participants to determine nutritional risk. A nutritional risk is any problem, medical or dietary, which is caused by or is associated with what you eat. (Some examples: poor growth in a child, poor eating habits like picky eaters, and tooth decay.) WIC determines nutritional risk by measuring height and weight, doing a simple blood analysis, and reviewing each participant’s medical history and dietary intake.
Health Care Referrals: WIC encourages and provides access to health care by providing participants with referrals to other community-based agencies and private providers. WIC staff are trained in community resources and can help participants find the help they may need.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Pregnant women
Women breastfeeding a baby less than a year old.
Women who are not breastfeeding with a baby less than six months old.
Infants
Children up to the age of five.

In order to qualify, families are screened to determine nutritional risk and income eligibility. Moms, dads, or legal guardians can enroll infants and children in WIC.

Missouri WIC Income Guidelines/ Reglas de Ingresos del Programa de WIC en Missouri

April/Abril 1, 2011 – March/Marzo 31, 2012

Family Size/Tamaño De la Familia	Annual/Anual	Monthly/Mensual	Weekly/Semanal
1	20,147	1,679	388
2	27,214	2,268	524
3	34,281	2,857	660
4	41,348	3,446	796
5	48,415	4,035	932
6	55,482	4,624	1,067
7	62,549	5,213	1,203
8	69,616	5,802	1,339
9	76,683	6,391	1,475
10	83,750	6,980	1,611
11	90,817	7,569	1,747
12	97,884	8,157	1,883
13	104,951	8,746	2,019
14	112,018	9,335	2,155
15	119,085	9,924	2,291
16	126,152	10,513	2,426
Each additional family member/ Cada miembro adicional de la familia	Plus/Más 7,067	Plus/Más 589	Plus/Más 136

Pregnant women are counted as two family members. Income guidelines are based on 185% of poverty level. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Cuentan a las mujeres embarazadas como dos miembros de la familia. Las reglas del ingreso se basan el 185% del nivel de pobreza. Esta institucion es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades!

Missouri WIC Income Guidelines/ Reglas de Ingresos del Programa de WIC en Missouri

April/Abril 1, 2011 – March/Marzo 31, 2012

Family Size/Tamaño De la Familia	Annual/Anual	Monthly/Mensual	Weekly/Semanal
1	20,147	1,679	388
2	27,214	2,268	524
3	34,281	2,857	660
4	41,348	3,446	796
5	48,415	4,035	932
6	55,482	4,624	1,067
7	62,549	5,213	1,203
8	69,616	5,802	1,339
9	76,683	6,391	1,475
10	83,750	6,980	1,611
11	90,817	7,569	1,747
12	97,884	8,157	1,883
13	104,951	8,746	2,019
14	112,018	9,335	2,155
15	119,085	9,924	2,291
16	126,152	10,513	2,426
Each additional family member/ Cada miembro adicional de la familia	Plus/Más 7,067	Plus/Más 589	Plus/Más 136

*Please call to make a appointment ask to speak with Suzie Green

Wic Clerk 417-679-3334

WIC is an equal opportunity program. Persons who believe they have been discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, should write to the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington DC 20250; and/or the Office of Civil Rights, USDA-FCS, 1244 Speer Blvd. #903, Denver, CO 80204.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from Discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination write U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication,1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (voice) or (202) 260-1026 (local) or (800) 795-3272 (toll free). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider.