By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a free nutrition program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to health care and other services available to local low-income individuals and families that qualify. WIC is available for all kinds of families – married and single parents, working or unemployed, and foster parents or other legal guardians of a child under 5 years of age.
There are 1,002 Marlborough individuals actively participating in the program, according to Sharon McCollum, program director for the Framingham/Waltham WIC office, which also covers Marlborough.
“We see approximately 100 individuals per week in the Marlborough office for first-time appointments, reapplications and individual or group nutrition education follow-up appointments,” she said.
Also offered are personalized nutrition consultants, free healthy food, tips for eating well to improve health, referrals for medical and dental care, health insurance, child care, housing and food assistance, and other services that benefit the whole family.
You can participate in WIC if you live in Massachusetts, are a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, have a child under 5 years of age, have a nutritional need, or have a family income less than WIC guidelines.
“WIC is very rewarding for us because we are helping our participants make positive changes in the quality of their lives and the lives of their families,” said McCollum.
The WIC program is sponsored by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), whose mission is to improve the quality of life of low-income and disadvantaged individual and families by advocating for their needs and rights, providing services, educating the community, building a community of support, participating in coalitions with other advocates and searching for new resources and partnerships.
For additional information contact Community Coordinator Helida Johnson at 508-620-2456 or [email protected]. The Marlborough office is located at 230 Maple St.