To the editor:

Thank you for the article “WIC set to issue new cards” that appeared in Wednesday’s edition and reported changes that are coming to the WIC Department, but our contact information was omitted. Starting Monday, Jefferson County WIC will be converting to the electronic benefit transfer instead of issuing paper coupons.

Using the WIC Nutrition Card will make the process quicker at the clinic and the grocery store, and it also will be more secure. The same nutritious foods will still be authorized – whole grains, milk, juice, cereal, fruit and vegetable vouchers, eggs, peanut butter or beans, infant cereal and baby food. The WIC office will slowly convert all of our clients to the WIC card during the next four months.

Many of the surrounding counties – Belmont, Carroll, Harrison and Columbiana – also are converting to the WNC cards. When participants were given the paper coupons, they were allowed to shop at authorized grocery stores throughout Ohio. This will stay the same, as long as that particular county is using the WNC cards. For example, if a WIC participant lives in Bergholz and wants to go into Carrollton in Carroll County, this will be permitted as long as the authorized grocery store accepts the WNC card.

WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support and referrals to health and other social services to participants at no charge. WIC serves low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk.

For information about the WIC program in Jefferson County, call (740) 283-8530, visit jchealth.com or like our Facebook page, Jefferson County Health Department. We are located at 500 Market St. on the seventh floor of the Towers building in downtown Steubenville.

Again, we thank Dave Gossett for covering our exciting changes.

Ashley Wilson

Director, Jefferson County

Women, Infants

and Children Program