More low-income families in Monongalia and Preston counties will be able to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children because of new federal income guidelines.
According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services, the program now allows a family of four to earn $47,638 and still qualify for WIC, a $1,203 income eligibility increase from last year. Its income guidelines are updated each year and based on 185% of the federal Poverty Income Guidelines. The average income in West Virginia in 2017, according to the U.S. Census was $43,467.
In March, the most recent numbers available, the WIC program helped 1,251 families in Monongalia County and 460 families in Preston County, according to the local WIC office in Morgantown.
“Currently, West Virginia WIC serves nearly 35,000 mothers and young children monthly,” said Cathy Slemp, commissioner and State Health Officer for DHHR’s Bureau of Public. “With the expanded income guidelines, we can serve more families.”
The higher income guidelines mean a family of four can’t exceed a gross weekly income of $917, or a gross monthly income of $3,970. For one person the weekly income — before taxes — of $445, or $23,107 a year; family of two, $602, or $31,284 a year; and a family of Three, $759 a week, or $39,461.
The federally funded WIC program has been around for 40 years. It provides nutrition counseling, parenting advice, breastfeeding support, food assistance and referrals. Food provided through WIC includes milk, cereal, fruits and vegetables, juice, peanut butter, as well as baby food, instant formula and medical foods.
The WIC program in West Virginia provides an average of $41.15 a month in healthy foods to participants and serves 75% of all babies born in the state.
Children, age 1 to 2, who participate in WIC have lower dental-related and Medicaid costs. WIC also reduces the chance of a program participant of having a low birth weight baby.
