(Ithaca, N.Y., October 14, 2022) – The Tompkins County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is partnering with the other WIC agencies across the country to remind families of the services it provides during WIC National Enrollment Week, Monday, October 10, 2022 - Friday, October 14th, 2022.
National Enrollment Week is a celebration of healthy families. Throughout National Enrollment Week, the Tompkins County WIC Program will provide breastfeeding and cooking tips on social media, celebrate community partnerships, and encourage enrollment.
As grocery prices continue to rise in the U.S. due to inflation, WIC urges families in our community who are expecting or have children under age 5 to consider applying for WIC’s support. Families can enroll in the program by calling 607-274-6630 or sign-up online at www.WICstrong.com.
WIC provides economic support to families for purchasing healthy food but also works to empower families by providing nutrition education, breastfeeding support, supplemental foods, and referrals to other health and nutrition services – all services are free of charge to those who qualify.
To qualify for WIC, individuals must meet categorical, residential, and income requirements.
Categorical:
Applicants for the NYS WIC Program must be:
- A pregnant woman;
- An infant or child up to 5 years old;
- A mother of an infant up to 6 months old; or
- A breastfeeding mother with an infant up to 12 months old.
- A father or caretaker applying for their children.
Residential:
- Applicants must be a resident of New York State.
We will not ask about visa status or citizenship. Your information is kept confidential.
Income Eligible:
- Applicants must meet income eligibility guidelines (see table online) or receive Medicaid, SNAP (Food Stamps), or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
“We want to let people know that the Tompkins County WIC Program is here for all families seeking support, which makes WIC National Enrollment Week so important,” said Michelle Hall, Tompkins County WIC Director. “Our team is ready to assist families with healthy choices and saving on groceries, so they can have more to spend on other things their family needs.”
The Tompkins County WIC Program is currently conducting appointments over the phone to keep participants and staff safe during COVID-19. Families can enroll in the program by calling 607-274-6630 or sign-up online at www.WICstrong.com.
About WIC
The WIC Program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The WIC program was established in 1974 to provide Federal grants to States for nutrition education, supplemental foods, and health care referrals for low and moderate-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, as well as infants and children who have a health or nutrition need.
To assess eligibility or to find out more about WIC services, visit: www.wicstrong.com, call the hotline at 1-800-722-2295, or contact our office directly at 607-274-6630.
Tompkins County WIC can be found on social media! Follow TC WIC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TompkinsWIC and on Instagram at Tompkins County WIC.
The Tompkins County Health Department is your partner for a healthy community. Find us online at TompkinsCountyNY.gov/health, and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TompkinsPublicHealth and on Twitter at @TompkinsHealth. Sign up to receive COVID-19 updates or other county announcements via email or text.
Media contact: Shannon Alvord, salvord@tompkins-co.org
-end-
