Analyzing the Distribution of WIC Funds
Analyzing the Distribution of WIC Funds
WIC is an organization that stands for Women’s, Infant’s, and Children’s Supplemental Nutrition Program and was established in 1972 (Martinez-Schiferl, 2012). This program is federally funded and does as much as it can to help as many women and children as possible. Its goal is to help prevent health problems among infants and children under five years of age within low-income families (Overview: NWICA, 2011). The WIC program is active in many provinces, including all fifty states, the District of Columbia, 34 Indian Tribal Organizations, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam (Overview: NWICA, 2011). Those who benefited by the WIC program receive checks redeemable for specific foods that ensure good health, growth, and development such as baby formula, low-fat milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, juice, cereal, dried beans, and peanut butter, along with other types of food. The program only authorizes certain foods that are rich in nutrients that may be lacking in the participants’ diets (iron, calcium, and vitamins, etc.).
Some WIC agencies even distribute food from warehouses or deliver it directly to participants’ houses (Benefits: NWICA, 2011). They serve low and middle-income families who meet the financial guidelines. Each state has specific income guidelines that the family must meet, based on the size of the family and its annual/monthly/weekly income. Along with the basic financial guidelines for WIC eligibility, WIC recognizes other nutritional risks that help a family qualify for funds.
A person can qualify for WIC if she is pregnant, has an infant under 12 months old, or has a child under the age of five. If a woman has one medically based risk such as anemia, low weight, pregnancy at young age, history of pregnancy complications, poor pregnancy outcomes, or inadequate dietary patterns, she is considered “high priority” by WIC. An applicant must live in the state she applies to and
WIC is an organization that stands for Women’s, Infant’s, and Children’s Supplemental Nutrition Program and was established in 1972 (Martinez-Schiferl, 2012). This program is federally funded and does as much as it can to help as many women and children as possible. Its goal is to help prevent health problems among infants and children under five years of age within low-income families (Overview: NWICA, 2011). The WIC program is active in many provinces, including all fifty states, the District of Columbia, 34 Indian Tribal Organizations, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam (Overview: NWICA, 2011). Those who benefited by the WIC program receive checks redeemable for specific foods that ensure good health, growth, and development such as baby formula, low-fat milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, juice, cereal, dried beans, and peanut butter, along with other types of food. The program only authorizes certain foods that are rich in nutrients that may be lacking in the participants’ diets (iron, calcium, and vitamins, etc.).
Some WIC agencies even distribute food from warehouses or deliver it directly to participants’ houses (Benefits: NWICA, 2011). They serve low and middle-income families who meet the financial guidelines. Each state has specific income guidelines that the family must meet, based on the size of the family and its annual/monthly/weekly income. Along with the basic financial guidelines for WIC eligibility, WIC recognizes other nutritional risks that help a family qualify for funds.
A person can qualify for WIC if she is pregnant, has an infant under 12 months old, or has a child under the age of five. If a woman has one medically based risk such as anemia, low weight, pregnancy at young age, history of pregnancy complications, poor pregnancy outcomes, or inadequate dietary patterns, she is considered “high priority” by WIC. An applicant must live in the state she applies to and
References: About WIC: NWICA. (2011). National WIC Association. Retrieved October 3, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://nwica.org/?q=aboutwic/f Benefits: NWICA. (2011). National WIC Association. Retrieved October 3, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://nwica.org/?q=aboutwic/f2 Dollars and Sense: Economic Impact of the WIC Program. (2011). California WIC, 1-2. Retrieved October 3, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Documents/Program%20Brief%20Insert%20Economics%202011-02%20FINAL.pdf Eligibility Requirements: NWICA. (2011). National WIC Association. Retrieved October 3, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://nwica.org/?q=aboutwic/f3 Martinez-Schiferl, Michael. (April 2012). WIC participants and their growing need for coverage. Urban Institute, 1-9. Retrieved October 3, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412549-WIC-Participants-and-Their-Growing-Need-for-Coverage.pdf Overview: NWICA. (2011). National WIC Association. Retrieved October 3, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://nwica.org/?q=aboutwic/f1