HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Health is making it easier for families to access the nutrition benefits for women, infants, and children (WIC).
The Wolf Administration announced that Pennsylvania’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for WIC is now offering families a new way to use their nutrition benefits, with an electronic transfer (eWIC) card.
“The eWIC card allows us to continue our mission to ensure Pennsylvania has healthy moms and healthy kids,” Department of Health Deputy Secretary Dr. Loren Robinson said. “The eWIC card will allow families quick, easy and convenient shopping for food, and will get rid of paper checks. Our WIC program is excited to offer this new, convenient way for WIC families to shop.”
WIC families in Clinton, Centre, Blair and Lycoming counties will be the first to use this new tool, beginning immediately. WIC participants will save time at the checkout with the eWIC card, and can buy WIC foods in as many shopping trips as they need throughout the month. Participants will also have access to a new WICShopper Smart Phone App, which allows them to scan a product’s bar code to determine if it is a WIC-allowed food.
The WIC program in Pennsylvania provides services at more than 260 locations and serves more than 205,000 pregnant women, infants, and children under age 5. WIC families shop at more than 1,500 Pennsylvania grocery stores and spend $248 million a year with their WIC food benefits.
Participant-centered nutrition education, healthy food, and breastfeeding support have been part of the WIC program for over 40 years. In addition, the program serves as a gateway for preventative health and is considered one of the most successful, cost-effective and important nutrition intervention programs in the country.
For more information about WIC, including information on appointment openings, visit www.pawic.com or call 1-800-WIC-WINS. The Pennsylvania WIC program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider.
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