WIC Services Remain Available: Macomb County Health Department

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — Access to the WIC program in Macomb County remains available despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, county health officials said.

Despite the broad impact of the coronavirus, the Macomb County Health Department continues to provide eligible residents access to the federal government’s Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits through the use of its virtual and drive-up service delivery strategies, the department said in a news release Friday.

The WIC program provides no-cost healthy foods, infant formula and support services to families enrolled in the program. In addition, WIC provides nutrition education, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to community programs and offerings. Foods that are available through the WIC program are chosen because of their nutrition content and their impact on the health, growth, and development of women during pregnancy and after, and for children 0-5 years of age.

“We’re proud to continue to provide access to WIC benefits to eligible families, especially during these challenging times,” said William Ridella, director/health officer of the Macomb County Health Department. “We understand that many county residents’ income may have been affected by recent events, and may benefit from this program. If you are pregnant, recently had a baby, or have an infant or child under the age of five, you may be qualified to receive WIC services, and we encourage to contact us and enroll in this valuable program.”

To enroll, interested applicants should contact the WIC office at (586) 469-5471 or wic@macombgov.org.

According to the health department, eperienced staff will perform an initial screening to check for WIC eligibility and a phone call appointment is given to complete the application and verify eligibility. WIC benefits are made available to eligible participants through a new WIC EBT card that can be picked up via curbside pickup and a WIC app that makes it easy to access benefits electronically.

Since the end of February 2020, the Macomb County Health Department, along with Community First Health Centers — the two WIC agencies in Macomb County — have seen an increase of about 400 new families. Together, the two agencies combined served a total of 14,000 participants as of the end of April.