I agree: "I had no idea WIC was as big or as bad as it is. Horribly structured program."
Looked up WIC...when it started, and how big it is now....Democratic Congress for 40 years seems to be a big culprit here..
Looks like you have your work cut out for you to change this..
fns.usda.gov
books.nap.edu
>>>>>>> WIC PROGRAM BACKGROUND WIC began in 1972 as a pilot program and has grown rapidly as the number of people served per month has increased from 205 thousand in FY1974 when it became a permanent program, to 3.6 million in FY1988, to 7.2 million in FY2000.
The program provides three types of benefits to those who are eligible: food instruments, usually in the form of vouchers or checks, that can be exchanged for specific types of food from participating retail grocers; nutrition education; and referrals to health care and to other social services. In order to receive WIC benefits, an applicant must be categorically eligible, income eligible, and nutritionally at risk.
There are five categories of eligibility: pregnant women, women who are not breastfeeding and are less than 6-months postpartum, women who are breastfeeding and are less than 1 year postpartum, infants (age 0 to 1 year); and children age 1 through 4 years. The contents of food packages differ for each eligibility category; for example, the food package for a non-breastfed infant includes infant formula, while the food package for a child includes milk, juice, cereal, and eggs. To be income eligible, an applicant’s income must be at or below 185 percent of the U.S. poverty income guidelines.
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fns.usda.gov
WIC At A Glance
Population Served:
The WIC target population are low-income, nutritionally at risk:
Pregnant women (through pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after birth or after pregnancy ends).
Breastfeeding women (up to infant’s 1st birthday)
Nonbreastfeeding postpartum women (up to 6 months after the birth of an infant or after pregnancy ends)
Infants (up to 1st birthday). WIC serves 45 percent of all infants born in the United States.
Children up to their 5th birthday.
Benefits
The following benefits are provided to WIC participants:
Supplemental nutritious foods
Nutrition education and counseling at WIC clinics
Screening and referrals to other health, welfare and social services
Program Delivery
WIC is not an entitlement program as Congress does not set aside funds to allow every eligible individual to participate in the program. WIC is a Federal grant program for which Congress authorizes a specific amount of funds each year for the program. WIC is
administered at the Federal level by FNS
administered by 90 WIC state agencies, through approximately 46,000 authorized retailers.
WIC operates through 2,000 local agencies in 10,000 clinic sites, in 50 State health departments, 34 Indian Tribal Organizations, the District of Columbia, and five territories (Northern Mariana, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).
Examples of where WIC services are provided:
county health departments
hospitals
mobile clinics (vans)
community centers
schools
public housing sites
migrant health centers and camps
Indian Health Service facilities
How to Apply to Participate in WIC
Find WIC offices serving your area.
WIC's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). |
