MOORESTOWN – The Women Infant and Children (WIC) program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and Burlington County is celebrating with a fun-filled party featuring entertainment, games, fitness classes, health screenings and more.

The Burlington County WIC 50th Anniversary Celebration will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, at the Burlington County Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road, Moorestown. The free event is open to WIC enrollees and the general public. There will be local vendors, a bounce house, food trucks, games, developmental and health screenings, yoga and fitness classes, smoothie making, gardening demonstrations and informational kiosks on breastfeeding, nutrition and other health topics.

“For more than 50 years, WIC has provided new and expectant mothers with nutritional assistance and other resources critical to their health and the health of their children,” said Felicia Hopson, director of the Burlington County County Commission. “The program has had an incredible positive impact on the overall well-being of thousands of families in Burlington County, and we are excited to celebrate this anniversary and the impactful services WIC provides.”

“Participation in the WIC program leads to better birth outcomes, lower infant mortality and better child development,” added Dr. Herb Conaway, director of the Burlington County Health Department. “It is proven to be one of the most effective and cost-effective health programs anywhere, making a difference and improving the health of thousands of mothers and children in Burlington County.”

Important services

The WIC program provides supplemental food, education, health care, social service referral, and other social services to income-eligible pregnant women, new mothers, and children ages 5 and younger.

WIC households come from all parts of Burlington County and include military families living at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. On average, more than 4,200 Burlington County mothers and children receive benefits from the Burlington County WIC program each month.

WIC benefits also include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance. Enrolled clients receive an electronic eWIC card each month that can be used like a debit card to purchase federally approved healthy foods at numerous grocery stores and other authorized stores.

As part of the modernization of WIC food benefits, improvements will soon be introduced that will provide families with additional access to whole grains and more flexibility in their individual food packages.

WIC participants who are also eligible can also receive $50 QR codes to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets, including some at the weekly Burlington County Farmers Market.

Over the years, the Burlington County WIC program has also expanded support services for breastfeeding mothers. From conversations with mothers about breastfeeding, the program has now evolved into an internationally certified breastfeeding counseling and peer support program.

Burlington County WIC services are available throughout the county, including at the Burlington County Health Department offices at 15 Pioneer Boulevard in Westampton, as well as satellite locations in Beverly, Bordentown, Burlington City, Joint Base-McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Moorestown, Palmyra, Pemberton Township, Tabernacle and Willingboro. Health department offices also have extended hours to accommodate students and working parents.

“The Burlington County WIC program has evolved over the past five decades, but one constant is its commitment to helping new and expectant mothers overcome the many different challenges they face,” Hopson said. “This program and those who lead it deserve to be celebrated and recognized, so we look forward to a great turnout for our 50th anniversary celebration.”

For more information about the Burlington County WIC program, visit https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/403/Women-Infant-Children-WIC-Program.

Originally published: August 12, 2024 at 00:10