Mercer County WIC Program to Continue in Princeton in 2015

Despite decreasing enrollment levels at its Princeton satellite campus, the Mercer County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, administered by The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey (CHSofNJ), will continue offering services through its the office to eligible residents in 2015.

Jeff Grosser, Princeton Health Officer and Elisa Neira, Executive Director of Princeton Human Services have worked closely with CHSofNJ to increase WIC participation and implemented a number of strategies to maintain this clinic for the community, the department announced.

“We increased our outreach efforts and ensured WIC information was available everywhere possible,” Grosser said in the statement. “By the end of 2014, WIC attendance at the Princeton clinic had improved, and we’re optimistic for 2015.”

According to the release:

WIC is a nutrition education program that helps families, primarily women with young children up to the age of five years old and women who are pregnant, identify healthy nutrition choices.

The program provides families with nutrition assessments and education, breastfeeding education and support, and checks for the purchase of nutritious food.

“WIC provides vital support to at-risk moms and children. I’m pleased that we will continue to be able to maintain the Princeton Clinic and help Princeton families give their children a healthy start,” Princeton Councilwoman Heather Howard, liaison to the Princeton Board of Health and Human Services Commission, said.

In Mercer County, WIC is available locally in Trenton, Princeton, Hamilton, and Hightstown.

The Mercer County WIC Program in Princeton is located in the Municipal Building Community Room at 400 Witherspoon Street on the third Friday of every month, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

“We want our residents to continue to have the benefits of the WIC clinic locally and encourage organizations that work with eligible individuals to promote the WIC clinic to their families,” Neira said.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

You may qualify for WIC benefits if you are pregnant or recently pregnant, a breast feeding mother (up to 1 year), or a mother with an infant or a child under five years old. WIC participants must live in New Jersey and meet income criteria.

WIC services are available to low-income families regardless of work status or if the individuals receive assistance from Disability, Social Security, Food Stamps, Medicaid, or TANF.

To find out if you are eligible and/or to make an appointment, call 609-498-7755 or visit the Mercer County WIC website at www.chsofnj.org.

For more information on WIC and for the 2015 clinic schedule, you can also visit www.princetonnj.gov.