Local officials want to make sure that all eligible residents have access to the Missoula County WIC program as more families find themselves in economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Missoula County clinic remains closed to the public but staff are continuing to serve Missoula and the surrounding communities by providing services over the phone.
“Our Missoula WIC team has worked diligently to adjust to providing services remotely,” said Debbie Hirshberg, acting Missoula WIC manager. “We’ve seen new families affected by COVID-19 and families that had been enrolled previously. And there is room for everyone who is eligible.”
The Montana WIC program provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding assistance and a community of support from both experts and peers to around 15,000 moms and children in the state each month.
“We can all play a part in encouraging eligible people to join WIC to assist with nutrition for our children and future generations,” Hirshberg said. “We are in this together, and the Missoula WIC program is here to help.”
Households enrolled in the following programs automatically meet income eligibility for WIC:
- Healthy Montana Kids Plus (HMK-Plus) and Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- National School Lunch Program (free and reduced-price meals)
More information about WIC, including specific income guidelines, is available online or by calling the Missoula WIC program (406) 258-4740.
