Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Over the past year, WIC has adapted many of its vital services to meet individuals and families where they are, such as having appointments over Zoom instead of in the office, and understanding the community’s increased needs during this unprecedented year.

WIC Diaper Bank

The WIC Diaper Bank opened in February 2020 with a sponsorship from Tufts Health. Some 300 families have received diapers through this program. WIC Community Coordinator, Flor Diaz, shares, “Hearing from our WIC participants, the struggles to meet their needs, especially to purchase diapers, we wanted to help.”

7,170 pregnant and new mothers were provided with nutritional supports for themselves and their little ones through WIC.

Josue Aviles-Hernandez, a Family Support Coordinator for WIC, has witnessed many success stories from this year, such as a single mom of three children who is unemployed and struggling with her finances. The same day AvilesHernandez met with her, he referred her to the Pantry and assisted her with a SNAP application. She was able to get much needed food immediately from the Pantry and now receives regular SNAP benefits.

WIC Cooking Classes, the Reboot!

Part of WIC’s programming is sharing healthy, simple recipes and menu items with families and the community. Though in-person cooking classes were not possible, WIC Assistant Director Andrea Desjardins had a plan. She began virtual cooking demos over Zoom, and also recorded short ‘bite-sized’ demos and posted them to Facebook, the VOC website and YouTube that people could watch whenever it was convenient for them.

All participants also received a free copy of “Good & Cheap. Eat Well on $4 a Day,” by Leanne Brown.

Andrea Desjardins

Diaper Bank storage at WIC’s Holyoke location.