WIC is a county asset

By The Daily Journal (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Friday, May 16, 2008

It shouldn’t surprise us that participation in Otter Tail County’s WIC program is increasing. As a matter of fact, the program has about 300 more participants than it did just six months ago.

On March 31, more than 5,000 Otter Tail County women were participating in the WIC program.

Gas prices are increasing. So are food prices. Each day it’s harder and harder for many families to make ends meet.

Combine that with the fact that the recipients of WIC funding are mothers of children living in lower income situtions — and it shouldn’t surprise us if those numbers increase even further in the future.

WIC plays an important role in the health and well-being of our community and it is being drastically modified this year to further meet the health needs of low-income pregnant women, new mothers and children who receive WIC food packages.

Whole milk, eggs, cheese and juice, which have been staples of the food package for more than 30 years, will be reduced, or in some cases eliminated, and replaced with whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and soy options.

The reductions in fat and sugar are designed to meet current dietary guidelines and address obesity concerns. Other changes were made to reflect the cultural diversity of WIC participants and promote healthy behavior such as breastfeeding.

WIC, and other programs like food stamps and the food shelf, will only continue to see participation increase as the cost of living increases and are a true asset to our community.