Southern 7 highlights WIC program during National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, which is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

In an effort to improve the nutritional health of children in Southern Illinois, Southern 7 Health Department is reminding families that the Women, Infants and Children, WIC, Supplemental Nutrition Program can help children to establish healthy eating habits and supplement your food budget.

According to the CDC, children need fruits and vegetables daily for healthy growth and brain development. Early eating experiences can also affect how we eat as we get older. 

This is why it’s so important to introduce young children to healthy foods, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, Southern 7 Health Department says. 

Eating healthy not only helps to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it supports muscle development, strengthens bones, boosts immunity, keeps skin, teeth and eyes healthy, as well as supporting many other health benefits.

The WIC Program is a federally funded program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture that safeguards the health of low to lower-middle income women, infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. 

The program provides nutritious food to supplement diets, nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and other social services. 

WIC is available at each Southern 7 Health Department public health clinic.

Everyone is welcome at WIC. WIC is here for moms, dads, grandparents, foster parents, military families, immigrant families, guardians and families of all kinds. 

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have had a baby in the past six months, or caring for a child under 5, you can get nutritious food, breastfeeding support, health referrals, peer support and more with WIC.

A family of four can earn up to $57,720 and still qualify for WIC. If approved, your family will receive a WIC EBT card with food benefits loaded each month to spend at participating grocers in Southern Illinois.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. To read the full USDA Nondiscrimination Statement visit www.southern7.org/clinics .

To find out if you qualify for WIC through Southern 7 Health Department, call 618-634-2297 or visit the health department online at www.southern7.org, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/S7WIC or through the Southern 7 app.