When you teach your family healthy eating habits, you're doing something that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

 Even more importantly, you are ensuring that their little bodies will grow up healthy and strong. And this can come from a program of good health and nutrition. Like WIC.

 WIC is a program that provides nutrition education and special foods to pregnant and breast-feeding women, infants and children to age five.

It's Much More Than Free Food
When you participate in the WIC program, you go beyond just receiving food. You learn. In addition to receiving iron fortified infant formula, milk, cheese, eggs and other nutritious foods, you will also receive nutrition education. Each month you'll learn more about selecting and using nutritious foods and how to improve your family's health. We offer individual counseling, small classes, group discussions and pamphlets to help you learn all about good nutrition. WIC staff will work with you to develop healthy eating habits.

 WIC will also help you find services in your own neighborhood, including doctors, public health nurses, and social service agencies.

Good Family Nutrition Starts With A Call
To receive WIC benefits, you or your child must have a health need that nutrition education and WIC foods can help. Needs are determined by medical history such as being underweight, overweight, having low iron or diet problems.

 Your income must also fall within certain guidelines. WIC looks at family size and income to determine eligibility. Our qualifying income level is higher than for most other programs. Many people work and still qualify for WIC.

 To find out if you or your child qualify for the WIC program, call your local health department at the Renville County Courthouse.

It's A Program That Can Grow With Your Family
From early pregnancy through breastfeeding and until your child reaches the age of 5, WIC is available to assist with your family's nutrition needs.

 Once on the program, you and your child will be checked every six months to see if there still is a health need that can be helped. If there is, the program will continue to work for you.

 When you and your child are healthy, both of you will graduate from the WIC program. Your spot can then be offered to someone else who needs healthy foods and counseling.

 Your Success Is Our Success
As a WIC participant, you will gain valuable nutrition information. We hope you will carry this knowledge with you forever. Our goal is the same as yours ... for you to have a healthy, happy family.