There are new income guidelines for families needing food and healthcare assistance for young children.
Yellowstone Public Radio’s Orlinda Worthington has details.
The U.S. government recently revised the poverty level guidelines for the Women, Infants and Children program to those with a household income 185% below poverty level.
That means in Montana a household of one person with income below $2,322 a month or a household of four with monthly income below $4,810 qualifies.
The program, better known as WIC, has two parts, according to Kate Monger, the program manager. One offers food assistance to enrolled families.
“And then the other part of WIC is that we are a nutrition and breastfeeding education program, and we also provide referrals to different health and social services in the community as well,” Monger said.
Monger says this summer is an especially good time to enroll in the nutrition program.
“So in addition to kind of the standard food benefits, each participant qualifies for 30 dollars in Farmer's Market checks, and they can use those at the Farmer's Market throughout the summertime,” Monger said.
That applies to any farmer’s market vendor in the state displaying a WIC sign, including roadside vendors.
In Billings, I’m Orlinda Worthington.
