FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2014 CONTACT: Angel Carter, 4-County IC D!re"tor #1$%&'2%(4$0 or County Coor)!

nator* +e,,er*on: Mary A*ta,an - #1$%&'2%(222 Le-!*: .aren R!t/ - #1$%#&0%042& St% La-ren"e: 1ar2ara Ra*"oe- #1$%#'0%'12' Fran3l!n: C!n)y Louey 4 $1'%4'#-4202

WIC INCOME GUIDELINES UPDATED - More Families Now Eligible

The New York State Department of Health notified all WIC rograms that new in!ome g"idelines will go into effe!t toda#$ Ma# %$ &'%() The new g"idelines will make more families eligible for the n"tritio"s food that the program pro*ides) +new g"idelines are atta!hed), - famil# of fo"r$ with a gross ann"al in!ome of ."st o*er /(($%'' now 0"alifies for WIC) Man# working families 0"alif# for the program$ b"t ma# not reali1e the# are eligible) Man# militar# families are also eligible to re!ei*e WIC foods) regnant women$ breast feeding mothers$ infants$ and !hildren "p to age 2 who meet finan!ial g"idelines ma# be eligible to re!ei*e *o"!hers for WIC foods *al"ed at o*er /%'' per month per person) WIC *o"!hers allow families to p"r!hase n"tritio"s foods like fr"its and *egetables$ eggs$ !heese$ !ereal$ milk$ ."i!e$ and pean"t b"tter to s"pplement their diets) Cereal and bab# foods are also a*ailable for infants) WIC en!o"rages mothers to breastfeed their infants$ and pro*ides genero"s food pa!kages for mothers who !hoose to do so) Families with infants who are not able to be breastfed !an re!ei*e !he!ks for infant form"la)

Nort5 Country Fa6!ly 7ealt5 Center May 1, 2014 8age 2

The Spe!ial S"pplemental N"trition rogram for Women$ Infants$ and Children +WIC, !"rrentl# pro*ides n"trition ed"!ation$ breast feeding s"pport$ and n"tritio"s foods to more than %3$''' women$ infants and !hildren a!ross the North Co"ntr#) WIC helps parents to feed their !hildren n"tritio"s foods d"ring !riti!al earl# #ears and helps !hildren grow "p strong and health#) WIC is f"nded b# the 4)S) Department of -gri!"lt"re and the New York State Department of Health) 5o!all#$ the WIC program is o*erseen b# North Co"ntr# Famil# Health Center +formerl# North Co"ntr# Children6s Clini!,) The agen!# has offi!es in Watertown$ Canton$ 5ow*ille$ and Malone) WIC !lini!s are held reg"larl# at &7 !omm"nit# sites a!ross 8efferson$ 5ewis$ Franklin and St) 5awren!e Co"nties) For additional information *isit North Co"ntr# Famil# Health Center6s web site at www)!hildrens9!lini!)org or !all the WIC offi!e in Watertown 9 3:&97&&&; 5ow*ille 9 <3=9=(&3; Canton 9 <:=9:%&:; or Malone +2%:, (:<9(&=&) In addition to their WIC rograms$ North Co"ntr# Famil# Health Center also operates a medi!al !enter in Watertown for both pediatri! and ad"lt patients and s!hool based health !enters in the Watertown Cit# and So"th 8efferson S!hool Distri!ts) The Health Center6s dental !lini!s$ whi!h a!!ept Medi!aid and Child Health l"s and offers a sliding fee s!ale for families witho"t ins"ran!e is also lo!ated in Watertown)

NEW WIC >4IDE5INES >? INT? EFFECT M-Y %$ &'%(