More North Country families are now eligible for the food provided by WIC programs with new income guidelines.

The new income guidelines indicate that, for instance, a family of four with a gross annual income of just over $41,348 now qualifies for WIC, according to the North Country Children’s Clinic.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides nutrition education, breast feeding support, and nutritious foods to more than 15,000 women, infants and children across the North Country. WIC helps parents to feed their children nutritious foods during their critical early years and helps children grow up strong and healthy.

WIC vouchers allow families to purchase nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, eggs, cheese, cereal, milk, juice, and peanut butter to supplement their diets. Formula, cereal and juice are also available for infants.

Many working families qualify for the program, but may not realize they are eligible. Many military families are also eligible to receive WIC foods. Pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, infants, and children up to age five who meet financial guidelines may be eligible to receive vouchers for WIC foods valued at over $100 per month per person.

WIC is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New York State Department of Health. Locally, the WIC program is overseen by North Country Children’s Clinic, with offices in Watertown, Canton, Lowville, and Malone.

More info: www.childrens-clinic.org or call the Canton office at 386-8128.