WIC Can Help

With funding from The California Endowment, CWA is kicking off WIC CAN HELP, a campaign to strengthen local WIC capacity to inform and connect WIC families with all possible new and existing community assistance programs, by identifying possible gaps and sharing new resources with the local WIC network. WIC CAN HELP will harness the power and reach of trusted and user-friendly local WIC programs to protect and strengthen the ability of over one million California families to survive and protect their children’s health in tough times.

Starting January 2010, CWA will disseminate a monthly resource and referral “survival kit” to all local WIC programs, which will highlight a particular community resource which is available to most WIC families.

2010 RESOURCE AND REFERRAL CALENDAR

• January: Unemployment Assistance
• February: Earned Income Tax Credit
• March: Census 2010
• April: Oral Health
• May: Summer Food
• June: Addiction/Substance Abuse
• July: Child Care and Early Intervention
• August: Back to School - School Meals - Breakfast and Lunch and More
• September: Housing
• October: Depression, Mental Health and Domestic Violence
• November: Debt Counseling and Financial Literacy
• December: Energy, Telephone, Utilities

WHAT LOCAL AGENCIES CAN DO:

1. Assign an I&R Coordinator to review and update local agency’s resource and referral information.
2. Download the resources of the month and share with WIC families.
3. Customize the county-specific flyers with more local information, if you wish.
4. Check the CWA website for regular information on Food Stamps/TANF/MediCal.
5. Call the local HHS Department and do an inservice on Food Stamps/TANF/MediCal for your staff.
6. Please share new information and referral with CWA, so we can update and improve the information we post every month.