HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Health will commemorate 50 years of a program that brings support to vulnerable mothers and young children.
The Department of Health’s Office of Nutrition Services will hold a 50th anniversary celebration of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC at Ritter Park in Huntington Monday afternoon.
WV DH Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sherri Young said the WIC program has made a significant impact on West Virginia families over the last half-century it has been around.
Dr. Sherri Young
“The WIC program has served more than 1.8 million West Virginians, it continues to serve a critical role in ensuring our families are receiving services and needed nutritional assistance,” Young said.
As part of the celebration of the milestone, festivities are to include family-friendly games and activities, informational booths, a pop-up farmer’s market and opportunities for families to enroll in the WIC program.
According to the Department of Health, WIC provides anything from nutrition counseling, parenting advice, food assistance and medical referrals to families in need.
Young said the services provided through WIC are often crucial to those starting out the journey into parenthood.
“Getting these nutrition services out to our youngest and most vulnerable population is so important in early development and making sure we’re sending people off with the appropriate nutrition and education that new moms and new parents need moving forward,” she said.
A press conference will also be held during the event and will include remarks from State Health Officer Dr. Matthew Christiansen among other guests highlighting the program’s success.
Young encourages everyone who still may not know about the benefits WIC provides to take this opportunity at the event to learn about how they can enroll.
“With our WIC services, we try to connect everyone and mothers after they have their children and as they’re leaving the hospital, but you know, life circumstances can happen, maybe things have changed, and so this is a family-friendly way to come out in the community, help us celebrate the 50th anniversary and see if you qualify for those additional services as well,” she said.
She said the work the department and the WIC program has been doing to connect vendors to farmer’s markets is a relatively new initiative they have been doing. It’s an effort to get fresh fruits and vegetables out to families for better nutritional support.
Young said having the ability to celebrate the longevity of the program after 50 years speaks volumes to the need it has in the state, a standing that she anticipates to see continue for many more years to come.
“The fact that we continue to have folks in need that we can provide this assistance to it really speaks to the fact that in 50 more years we’re going to be celebrating again, we’re going to be celebrating several milestones in the future,” Young said.
The celebration at Ritter Park will get underway at 3 p.m. Monday. The event is free and open to the public.