WIC Program Update-

BlackSheep

New Member
The grocery shopping list for the far-reaching Women, Infants and Children program is getting its first significant update since the 1970s. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are being added to the program, which helps feed more than half the babies born in the U.S. To cover the cost, WIC will pay for less of the juice, eggs, cheese and milk that have been staples of the program.

The changes to the low-income nutrition program were proposed Friday and will be finalized next year. Anti-hunger groups are enthusiastic about the additions.

The shopping list has gone largely unchanged since WIC began in the 1970s. In the meantime, food availability has grown, obesity has become a major public health threat and WIC itself has grown dramatically, reaching 8 million people nationwide.

Knowledge about nutrition has also advanced, another impetus for updating the list of WIC foods. The government proposes to add fruits and vegetables and cut the amount of juice by half or more. The government now encourages whole fruits rather than fruit juices, which can have more sugar and less fiber, in its dietary guidelines

Under the WIC program, people receive vouchers or food checks that can be redeemed at stores for infant formula and specific foods worth about $35 a month, depending on who is receiving the food. People can be at or slightly above the federal poverty level, depending on the state. A family of four with income averaging $37,000 would qualify.

The program also offers nutrition education, health and social service referrals and breast-feeding support.

Among the proposed changes:

_The amount of juice would be cut from up to 9 ounces daily to 4 ounces for children ages 1 through 5.

_Milk would be cut from up to 3 cups daily to 2 cups for children 1 through 5. New substitutions would allow soy milk and tofu for people who have milk allergies or trouble digesting lactose.

_Whole grain bread would be added to the list. Substitutions such as corn tortillas and brown rice would be allowed to reflect the cultural diversity of those served by WIC.

WIC encourages mothers to breast-feed their babies by offering more foods, particularly for women whose children aren't getting formula through the program. Those women currently can get one vegetable, carrots, as well as canned tuna.

The new list would increase the amount of canned fish to 30 ounces and add canned salmon as an option. The president of the U.S. Tuna Foundation, Anne Forristall Luke, applauded the plan. "Canned tuna is a convenient, affordable and nutritious food we all grew up on and is unrivaled in its nutritional benefits," she said. WIC pays for canned white, light, dark or blended tuna packed in water or oil.

The revisions follow the advice of the federally chartered Institute of Medicine, which said the WIC program needs to reflect changes in science and society since it was created three decades ago.
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
WIC Program Update- 08-05-2006 08:25 AM Its not for the poor people. Its for just about anyone why dont u do some research.

So, does that change where the money comes from? Idiot.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
elaine said:
So, does that change where the money comes from? Idiot.
They're wrong, anyway, because there's an income requirement to get WIC.

I got WIC vouchers when my ex was in the Army and I was pregnant with my son. I think it's a better program than just handing people money that they're going to piss away on beer and cigarettes.
 

MMDad

Lem Putt
vraiblonde said:
They're wrong, anyway, because there's an income requirement to get WIC.

I got WIC vouchers when my ex was in the Army and I was pregnant with my son. I think it's a better program than just handing people money that they're going to piss away on beer and cigarettes.
:yay: I agree. The program only allows certain foods in limited quantities. I've seen abuse of the system, but it is not even close to how screwed up most of our public assistance is.

WIC and Foodbank programs that actually provide healthy food to poor families are the ones that I am happy to have my taxes pay for. I am offended by the programs that just give people who choose not to work cash and housing.
 

sunflower

Loving My Life...
MMDad said:
:yay: I agree. The program only allows certain foods in limited quantities. I've seen abuse of the system, but it is not even close to how screwed up most of our public assistance is.

WIC and Foodbank programs that actually provide healthy food to poor families are the ones that I am happy to have my taxes pay for. I am offended by the programs that just give people who choose not to work cash and housing.

:yeahthat:

I think WIC is a great program. I used it when my son was born 10 years ago.
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
I didn't say it was a bad program, but 8 million freakin' people? I'm sorry, I just can't feel all warm and fuzzy about that.
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
Its not about you. I sure hope u will never need help cause u act like your to good.Its not like welfare and u get everything paid for you. Now those people suck my money as well. Id rather pay for the formula for anyone who is in need

It's not about me? Then it's not about how my tax dollars are spent, is it? You don't have to agree with me, but I think the number of people recieving govt assistance, in any form, is too high.

I have a sister who can't get her life out of the gutter. She has had two children that she has had to give up. She has a new baby that she concieved while living in a crack house. She has never been able to hold a job, and you should hear some of the excuses, and she is one of the people who collect WIC and is supported by various forms of govt assistance.

She has lied to me to get money, and refused to take care of herself or the babies that she brings into the world. These are the types of people who are on WIC. So don't ask me to look at the world through your rose colored glasses.

:love:
 

chernmax

NOT Politically Correct!!
I'd like to see some of that money go towards birth control, as judge Judy said.

If you cannot feed, you don't need to breed!!!
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
chernmax said:
I'd like to see some of that money go towards birth control, as judge Judy said.

If you cannot feed, you don't need to breed!!!

Thank you.
 

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
WIC


It gives out the vouchers on a monthly "use it or lose it" basis for specific food items. Much better than the cell phone talking, SUV driving, Independance card user I stood in line behind once. She was still on the tele when I walked out of the store - loading up her SUV parked at the curb. :rolleyes:
 

chernmax

NOT Politically Correct!!
Sharon said:
WIC


It gives out the vouchers on a monthly "use it or lose it" basis for specific food items. Much better than the cell phone talking, SUV driving, Independance card user I stood in line behind once. She was still on the tele when I walked out of the store - loading up her SUV parked at the curb. :rolleyes:

The problem is not with the program, but with the abusers of it, it sets up a cycle of dependency which leads to lack of motivation to do something for yourself.
 

chernmax

NOT Politically Correct!!
Bill Cosby made some great points during a recent speech in DC.

You can buy $2,000 dollar rims for your car but won't invest $1000 dollars in an investment account for your children's future.

OR

You can buy your kids $200 dollar sneakers, but won't invest $100 dollars on hooked on phonics.

OR

The only thing you teach your children is bad English and educate them on how to apply for every social program available...

I like Bill Cosby, straigh shooter...
 

Club'nBabySeals

Where are my pants?
Elaine, you're my personal hero.


I'm six months pregnant right now, and not on WIC. Prenatal care and nutrition is not cheap for anybody, regardless of income, and certainly neither is raising a child...but frankly I think that's something people should consider before deciding to have babies. Personal responsibility is a rare virtue in this entitlement minded country---I'd rather have my tax dollars going toward a thousand other things besides supporting someone elses birth control failure.
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
Club'nBabySeals said:
Elaine, you're my personal hero.


I'm six months pregnant right now, and not on WIC. Prenatal care and nutrition is not cheap for anybody, regardless of income, and certainly neither is raising a child...but frankly I think that's something people should consider before deciding to have babies. Personal responsibility is a rare virtue in this entitlement minded country---I'd rather have my tax dollars going toward a thousand other things besides supporting someone elses birth control failure.


I grew up impoverished. My family never took a hand out. We did without.
 

chernmax

NOT Politically Correct!!
Club'nBabySeals said:
Elaine, you're my personal hero.


I'm six months pregnant right now, and not on WIC. Prenatal care and nutrition is not cheap for anybody, regardless of income, and certainly neither is raising a child...but frankly I think that's something people should consider before deciding to have babies. Personal responsibility is a rare virtue in this entitlement minded country---I'd rather have my tax dollars going toward a thousand other things besides supporting someone elses birth control failure.

:yay: Well said!!!
 

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
chernmax said:
The problem is not with the program, but with the abusers of it, it sets up a cycle of dependency which leads to lack of motivation to do something for yourself.

Losers and abuser are everywhere, even right here on the board. :jet:

I agree with your statement, but it doesn't pertain to a person only qualifing for the WIC program and no other gov't program(s).

WIC is a small pittance of healthy nutritious food, given monthly, for children under 5 and pregnant women who qualify.

The WIC Program is designed to serve certain categories of women, infants, and children. Therefore, the following individuals are considered categorically eligible for WIC:
Women -- pregnant (during pregnancy and up to 6 weeks
after the birth of an infant or the end of the
pregnancy)
-- postpartum (up to six months after the birth of
the infant or the end of the pregnancy)
-- breastfeeding (up to the infant's first birthday)
Infants (up to the infant's first birthday)
Children (up to the child's fifth birthday)

Nutrition Risk Requirement

Applicants must be seen by a health professional such as a physician, nurse, or nutritionist who must determine whether the individual is at nutrition risk. In many cases, this is done in the WIC clinic at no cost to the applicant. However, this information can be obtained from another health professional such as the applicant's physician.

"Nutrition risk" means that an individual has medical-based or dietary-based conditions. Examples of medical-based conditions include anemia (low blood levels), underweight, or history of poor pregnancy outcome. A dietary-based condition includes, for example, a poor diet.

At a minimum, the applicant's height and weight must be measured and bloodwork taken to check for anemia.

An applicant must have at least one of the medical or dietary conditions on the State's list of WIC nutrition risk criteria.
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
"Nutrition risk" means that an individual has medical-based or dietary-based conditions. Examples of medical-based conditions include anemia (low blood levels), underweight, or history of poor pregnancy outcome. A dietary-based condition includes, for example, a poor diet.

:howdy: I qualify!
 

BadGirl

I am so very blessed
If you can't afford to purchase formula or milk on your own, you should reconsider if you can afford to pay for a child for the long haul. I think the income requirements is that you cannot earn more than $24,000 per year for a two-person household (mother and child). If you are earning that kind of limited salary, you need to concern yourself with getting an additional job instead of having a baby. :ohwell:
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
elaine said:
These are the types of people who are on WIC.
Not all of them, but there's a lot of them for sure. I used to hate going down to get my WIC vouchers because the waiting room is filled with these illiterate low-life skeezers. After awhile I started to think, "And here I sit WITH them." So I quit getting my vouchers and said forget about it.

But, in case you all missed it in my earlier post, this was when my ex was in the Army. We weren't unemployed, nor was I some slut off the street with no Bebe Daddy. So someone can be serving his country, yet STILL qualify for WIC. Granted, you get a lot of bennies when you're in the service (and I appreciate you all's parents paying for the birth of my children through their tax dollars :jet:) but still...
 
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