FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2020
Contact:
Catherine Wiley, Director of Marketing and Communications
cwiley@samrodgers.org
Office: 816.889.4643
SAM RODGERS WIC CONTRACT RENEWED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
KANSAS CITY, MO – The Samuel U Rodgers Health Center has announced that a contract to continue to provide WIC services for federal fiscal year 2021 has been signed with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Under the terms of the contract, the Samuel U Rodgers Health Center will be able to serve 3,750 persons eligible for WIC every month. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a special supplemental nutrition program providing services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility.
The primary services provided are health screening, risk assessment, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and referrals to health care. Nutritious supplemental food is provided at no cost to participants. To be eligible for WIC applicants must have an income of less than or equal to 185% of the poverty level and be determined by a health professional to be at nutritional risk. Migrant families are also eligible.
WIC supplemental food packages are specially chosen to provide foods high in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Eligible women and children receive fortified milk and cheese, eggs, whole grain bread products and hot or cold cereals, 100% fruit juices and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.
The WIC program recommends breastfeeding, provides breast-feeding support, baby foods and infant cereal. For women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, infants may receive supplemental iron fortified formula.
WIC participants obtain their foods by redeeming food checks for specific items at local grocery stores and pharmacies. Studies confirm that pregnant women who enroll in WIC during the early months of pregnancy have fewer low birth weight babies, experience fewer infant deaths, see the doctor earlier in pregnancy and eat healthier.
WIC is administered in Kansas City, MO by Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. Persons interested in applying or who need more information should contact the Sam Rodgers’ WIC Program at 816.889.1881. WIC clinics are offered at 825 Euclid, Kansas City MO 64124; 5330 N Oak, Suite 203, Kansas City MO 64118 and 2121 Summit, Kansas City, MO 64018. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
