HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program continues to accept and serve eligible clients.
Nicole Hungerford is the local WIC Coordinator and says that the program continues to provide increased stipends to clients for fruits and vegetables.
“So right now, children get $24 a month for fruits and veggies. Pregnant and non-breast feeding women get $43 a month for fruits and veggies, and breastfeeding women get $47 a month for fruits and veggies. And there has been a change with our food packages, which has been nice, with this. It use to be you could only get fresh fruits and veggies with that amount, but you (now) have the option to fresh, frozen and canned fruits and veggies now.”
The increased amount for fruits and vegetables is scheduled to continue through March, but that could be extended.
Hungerford says eligibility is based on income guidelines.
“But if families are on Medicaid, food stamps, TANF, or are eligible for the free or reduced lunch program at school, that does make them automatically eligible. They just have to self-declare their income. If they are not on those programs, we do ask for them to bring in proof of income, which can be pay stubs, W2s, most recent tax returns, a letter from the employer, unemployment benefits – there’s just kind of a list of things there that we do look at. And then we also ask that they bring in proof of IDs for the parents or authorized rep and children. So that can be birth certificates, social security cards, records from the hospital, things like that. And then proof of residency – which can be a utility bill, a piece of mail, lease agreements, mortgage statements that have the physical address on it.”
Hungerford’s office serves all of Hill, Liberty, and Blaine Counties. Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap also have clinics, but participants can go to any clinic that they choose in the state.. To find the WIC office that serves your area, visit this link.
WIC also provides breastfeeding promotion and support and health and social service referrals.
For more information, visit hillcountyhealth.com/wic or call 406-400-2421.
