Joplin City Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) has announced that a contract to continue to provide WIC services for federal fiscal year 2019 has been signed with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Under the terms of the contract, the Joplin City WIC program will be able to serve 3,025 persons eligible for WIC every month.
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a special supplemental nutrition program providing services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility. The primary services provided are health screening, risk assessment, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and referrals to health care. Nutritious supplemental food is provided at no cost to participants.
To be eligible for WIC applicants must have an income of less than or equal to 185% of the poverty level http://health.mo.gov/living/families/wic/eligibility_income.php and be determined by a health professional to be at nutritional risk. Migrant families are also eligible.
WIC supplemental food packages are specially chosen to provide foods high in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Eligible women and children receive fortified milk and cheese, eggs, whole grain bread products and hot or cold cereals, 100% fruit juices and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. The WIC program recommends breastfeeding, provides breast-feeding support, baby foods and infant cereal. For women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, infants may receive supplemental iron fortified formula. WIC participants obtain their foods by redeeming food checks for specific items at local grocery stores and pharmacies.
Studies confirm that pregnant women who enroll in WIC during the early months of pregnancy have fewer low birth weight babies, experience fewer infant deaths, see the doctor earlier in pregnancy and eat healthier.
The Joplin City WIC office hosts Chi Chi Mama’s. A local community Breastfeeding support group. The group meets the first Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. For more information, residents may call the WIC office or visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/chichimamas.
WIC is administered in Jasper County by Joplin City WIC located at 321 E 4th Street in Joplin and hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Persons interested in applying or who are in need of more information should contact Joplin City WIC at 417-623-1928 or visit our web site at http://www.joplinmo.org/wic.WIC clinics are also offered at Jasper County Health Department, 105 N. Lincoln, Carthage, Mo., by appointment 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on first three Thursday/Fridays of the month. Clients are encouraged to call and confirm dates.
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