Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Mission

WIC's primary mission, as an adjunct to good healthcare, is to provide education for optimal nutrition during critical stages of growth and development. The program provides an array of support for families including breastfeeding support and promotion; referrals to needed medical and social services in the community; and assessment of client nutritional status. WIC also provides checks for healthy foods based on the clients? nutritional needs. WIC recipients show higher birth weight, lower infant mortality, improved blood iron levels and diets, improved brain and neurological development, and lower use of intensive care nurseries compared to infants born to lower income mothers that have not benefited from proper nutritional food supplements.

2010 Accomplishments and Milestones

• Increased the percentage of new mothers discharged from the hospital as ¿breastfeeding mothers from 51% to 58%.
• Supported breastfeeding mothers returning to work or school by providing hospital grade electric breast pumps free of charge.
• Implemented new food package with increased fruits and vegetables, added more culturally appropriate foods, and offered lower fat foods.

Eligibility

To participate in WIC, you must live in Rhode Island; be a pregnant, breastfeeding, or post partum women or a guardian of a child five years of age or younger; and meet income guidelines.