The Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has been helping families in Pennsylvania for over forty years. WIC is for all families! If you are a mother, father, foster parent, grandparent or legal guardian of a child under five years of age, you can apply.

The WIC Program is a short-term intervention program designed to influence lifetime nutrition and health behavior. WIC provides free health screenings to all participants to determine nutritional risk. A nutritional risk is any problem that is associated with diet, growth, or medical diagnosis that might impact nutritional status.

Who can participate?

Women who are pregnant, recently had a baby, or are breastfeeding (up to one year after delivery); infants, and children up to age five. All must live in Pennsylvania, meet income guidelines and be at some level of nutrition risk. Call today to make an appointment to see if you or your children are eligible!

More options for a healthy start!

WIC offers healthy foods and helpful tips for your family. We provide nutrition education and services to help participants learn how to choose nutritious foods. Some commonly discussed topics include: healthy food choices and portion control, weaning baby to a cup, introducing solid foods to baby, the importance of iron in the diet, how to manage a picky eater, and more!

The WIC food packages had a major revision in October, 2009. WIC foods now include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, soy options, canned beans and jarred infant foods in addition to the healthy foods WIC is known for, such as milk, eggs and cereals. These foods are lower in fat, higher in fiber and allow for participant and cultural preferences. And the foods are at no cost to the participants!

WIC also promotes breastfeeding as the optimal method of infant feeding, which is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Healthy People 2010 and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Our WIC clinics offer the services of Breastfeeding Peer Counselors – all have been/are successful breastfeeding moms, many of whom are Certified Breastfeeding Counselors, and are supervised by a registered dietitian who is also a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor.

WIC staff will help you with referrals to other community services that may be important to your family.

Resources

• www.pawic.com
• 1-800-WIC-WINS

WIC Locations

747 Terrace Street, Meadville, PA 16335 (814) 333-7080 (Clinical Manager: Amanda Bruce)

2015 Pennsylvania Ave. East, Warren, PA 16365 (814) 726-1093 (Clinic Manager: Shannon Sitler)

535 Main Street, Clarion, PA 16214 (814) 226-8130 (Clinic Manager: Morgan Pence)

Titusville Clinic (Satellite) 417 N. Monroe Street, Titusville, PA 16354 (Please call Meadville office to schedule an appointment, 814-333-7080)

WIC Director

Carrie Dinsmore