FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2014

CONTACT: Angel Carter, 4-County WIC Director 315.782.9450 or County Coordinators Jefferson: Mary Astafan - 315.782.9222

Lewis: Karen Ritz - 315.376.6427St. Lawrence: Barbara Rascoe- 315.386.8128Franklin: Cindy Louey – 518.483-4262

WIC INCOME GUIDELINES UPDATED - More Families Now Eligible

The New York State Department of Health notified all WIC Programs that new

income guidelines will go into effect today, May 1, 2014. The new guidelines will make

more families eligible for the nutritious food that the program provides.

(new guidelines are attached.)

A family of four, with a gross annual income of just over $44,100 now qualifies for

WIC. Many working families qualify for the program, but may not realize they are

eligible. Many military families are also eligible to receive WIC foods. Pregnant women,

breast feeding mothers, infants, and children up to age 5 who meet financial guidelines

may be eligible to receive vouchers for WIC foods valued at over $100 per month per

person.

WIC vouchers allow families to purchase nutritious foods like fruits and

vegetables, eggs, cheese, cereal, milk, juice, and peanut butter to supplement their

diets. Cereal and baby foods are also available for infants. WIC encourages mothers to

breastfeed their infants, and provides generous food packages for mothers who choose

to do so. Families with infants who are not able to be breastfed can receive checks for

infant formula.

North Country Family Health Center May 1, 2014 page 2

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

(WIC) currently provides nutrition education, breast feeding support, and nutritious

foods to more than 17,000 women, infants and children across the North Country. WIC

helps parents to feed their children nutritious foods during critical early years and helps

children grow up strong and healthy.

WIC is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New York State

Department of Health. Locally, the WIC program is overseen by North Country Family

Health Center (formerly North Country Children’s Clinic). The agency has offices in

Watertown, Canton, Lowville, and Malone. WIC clinics are held regularly at 29

community sites across Jefferson, Lewis, Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties. For

additional information visit North Country Family Health Center’s web site at

www.childrens-clinic.org or call the WIC office in Watertown - 782-9222; Lowville -

376-6427; Canton - 386-8128; or Malone (518) 483-4262.

In addition to their WIC Programs, North Country Family Health Center also

operates a medical center in Watertown for both pediatric and adult patients and school

based health centers in the Watertown City and South Jefferson School Districts. The

Health Center’s dental clinics, which accept Medicaid and Child Health Plus and offers a

sliding fee scale for families without insurance is also located in Watertown.

NEW WIC GUIDELINES GO INTO EFFECT MAY 1, 2014