By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
City of Parsons Council Member Tim Turner said the Parsons WIC Program is in need of more participants. Turner informed the City of Parsons Council on May 19th during the Good of the Order that he fears if the program does not get more participants, Tucker County may lose it altogether.
“They need to start getting more people up here,” Turner said. “What I am afraid is going to happen is, if they don’t get more people – now this is my own words, not theirs – if they don’t get more people up there, they may just discontinue it and people will have to go to Elkins to avail themselves of that service.”
The nearest office, should the Tucker County location in Parsons close, would be the office in Elkins in Randolph County. Depending on where participants live in the County, it can be an hour’s drive.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a government nutrition program for mothers and children that has existed for 40 years. Its goal is to provide nutrition counseling, parenting advice, breastfeeding support, food assistance and referrals to assist families live healthy lives.
According to West Virginia WIC Program statistics, the WVWIC Program provides an average of $53.82 a month in healthy foods per participant each month. These foods include: milk, formula, cheese, cereals, fruits and vegetables, yogurt, eggs, juice, bread, rice, grains, beans, and canned fish, according to the WIC Shopping Guide.
For more information on WIC see their web page at dhhr.wv.gov/WIC or to schedule an appointment, call 304-636-8100. WIC is located at the Tucker County Health Department, 219 Sunnyside Lane, Parsons every other Tuesday. The next scheduled dates are June 2nd and 16th.