More families may now qualify for nutrition assistance program

MOBILE, Alabama – With recent changes to federal poverty guidelines, more local families may qualify for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, local health officials said.

Women who are pregnant, those who have given birth in the past six months, are breastfeeding or the parent or guardian of a child up to age 5 are encouraged to apply for WIC at the Mobile County Health Department or in the county where they reside.

“WIC isn’t just for low-income families, it’s also for families with moderate incomes who may need extra help providing nutritious foods for their young children,” said Elizabeth W. Smith, who is the Director of Nutrition Services at the Mobile County Health Department. “We provide vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, cheese, cereal and baby formula.”

For example, a single mother and her baby can have an income of up to $552 per week (before taxes) and qualify for WIC. A husband and wife with three children can have a total weekly income of as much as $981 (before taxes) and meet the income requirements to participate in WIC.

In Mobile County in 2012, more than $10 million in WIC food vouchers were distributed to support about 14,000 participants. Statewide, more than 140,000 new mothers, infants and young children take part in the nutrition program.

WIC participants should have a limited income and a nutritional need. Families who receive Medicaid, SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps, or Family Assistance, formerly known as TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) already meet the income qualifications for WIC. Even families who do not qualify for these three programs may be eligible for WIC, health officials said. WIC is a nutrition program that provides nutrition education and supplemental foods during the early, formative years of a child’s life. For more information, contact the Mobile County Health Department at 251-690-8829 or call the statewide toll-free line in Alabama at 1-888-942-4673.

WIC is open to participants with incomes of up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level. See below:

Family size         Annual Income             Weekly Income
1                         $21,257                         $409
2                         $28,694                         $552
3                         $36,131                         $695
4                         $43,568                         $838

5                         $51,005                         $981