Families in El Dorado County Grow Healthy With WIC
(Placerville, CA) - Finding healthy foods on a limited budget can sometimes be challenging. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded nutrition program for women and young children. "WIC is a wonderful supplemental food and health education program for qualifying pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women and families with young children," said Ellen Deutsche, supervisor of WIC in El Dorado County. "The program also serves young children cared for by single fathers, grandparents, foster parents, step-parents and guardians who meet program guidelines."
WIC provides nutrition education and health information, breastfeeding support, checks for healthy foods (like fruits and vegetables), and referrals to medical providers and community services. There is no charge to receive WIC services. Individuals or families may qualify for WIC services if they:
- Are pregnant, breastfeeding a baby up to 1 year old, or had a baby in the past six months; or
- Are the primary caretakers of a child under the age of 5; and
- Have a low to medium income and/or receive Medi-Cal, CalWORKs (TANF) or CalFresh (Food Stamps) benefits; and
- Live in California
Newly pregnant women, migrant workers, and working families are encouraged to apply. Pregnant women may apply as soon as they know they are pregnant. To determine if they meet WIC income guidelines, individuals may visit www.wicworks.ca.gov or the California WIC Mobile Website at https://m.wic.ca.gov/
The WIC Program in El Dorado County serves residents throughout the county. "We have two permanent office locations and staff who travel to various locations in the county," said Deutsche. "Whenever possible, we try to schedule appointments in the most convenient locations for applicants and participants. We encourage anyone interested in the WIC Program to call us today to see if they qualify and to make an appointment."
WIC staff may be reached at (530) 621-6176 on the West Slope of El Dorado County or at (530) 573-3491 in the Tahoe Basin. WIC offices are located at 937 Spring Street in Placerville and 1360 Johnson Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. WIC is an equal opportunity provider.
WIC operates locally as part of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). For more information about WIC, visit www.wicworks.ca.gov. For information about El Dorado County HHSA's many programs and services, visit www.edcgov.us/hhsa
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