The state Department of Health celebrated fifty years of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which provides assistance to families raising young children.
Robert Fields | WVOW News
WEST VIRGINIA The West Virginia Department of Health celebrated fifty years of the WIC program Monday.
According to the Department of Health, the WIC program, or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, provides specialized assistance to families in need, ranging from nutrition counseling to parenting advice, food assistance and medical referrals. WV DH Cabinet Secretary Doctor Sherri Young said the now-fifty-year-old program has made a significant impact on families in the Mountain State.
“Getting these nutritional services out to our youngest and most vulnerable population is so important in early development and making sure we’re sending people off with the appropriate nutrition and education that new moms and new parents need moving forward,” she said.
An event was held at Ritter Park in Huntington Monday afternoon to commemorate the program’s fiftieth year.
According to Young, the state Health Department and the WIC program have been working to connect vendors with farmer’s markets. This relatively new initiative aims to get fresh fruits and vegetables out to families for better nutritional support.
WIC provides monthly food packages, which include vouchers to buy approved foods to help children get the nutrition that they need in their growing years. The Lincoln County Farmer’s Market is one of those accepting vouchers and is going on through September. On Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon, the farmer’s market is set up at the parking lot beside the WIC office in downtown Hamlin.
That farmer’s market is also set up on Fridays from 11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. at Lincoln Primary Care Center, and on Saturdays from ten o’ clock to noon at the Hamlin DHHR parking lot.
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