| CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Nutrition Services have announced new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) income eligibility guidelines for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The new guidelines indicate a family of four can earn $44,123 and still qualify for WIC program benefits. This amounts to a $555 increase from last year and will allow more West Virginia families to enroll in the program.
"Our goal is to provide nutritional services and information that help keep West Virginia families healthy," said Dr. Letitia Tierney, State Health Officer and Commissioner for Public Health. "Currently, West Virginia WIC serves nearly 46,000 mothers and young children monthly. With the expanded income guidelines, we can serve more families."
West Virginia WIC serves 70% of all babies born in West Virginia. Families enrolled in the program receive nutrition education, breastfeeding education, nutritious foods, and access to maternal, prenatal and pediatric healthcare services that may otherwise be unavailable.
The new income guidelines are:
The Office of Nutrition Services reports an additional 5,000 West Virginians could be served under the expanded WIC guidelines. Eligibility projections indicate as many as 50,733 residents qualify for the program. Fathers, mothers, grandparents, foster parents or any legal guardian of a child under five may apply.
To learn more about WIC services or how to apply for benefits, call the local WIC clinic at 304-428-3688.
More information is available online at http://ons.wvdhhr.org/
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