The Lane County WIC Program is a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. WIC’s goal is to improve health outcomes and influence lifetime nutrition for families. This is achieved through nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and with the provision of healthy foods.
WIC provides:
- Healthy foods like whole grains, milk, fruits and veggies including from farmers markets.
- Help with nutrition, exercise, feeding kids, prenatal care and more.
- Breastfeeding help and breast pumps for moms who need them.
- Classes on a variety of health and parenting topics including smoking cessation.
- Links to other community services.
WIC clients all live in Oregon; are pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding; or a child under 5. They must have a nutritional need and meet the WIC income guidelines, which are based on the federal poverty levels.
WIC is not part of the food stamp/Oregon trail program. Only WIC approved foods are provided and education is the core of the WIC model. Services are offered in many languages.
There is a correlation between women who participate in the program and healthier children, more success in schools, and lower infant mortality rates.
40% of all pregnant women in Lane County participate or take advantage of WIC.