COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) announced that they are expanding their WIC Nutritional Services to make the services more accessible to their clients.
Women Infant and Children- or WIC- Nutritional services offer monthly benefits to buy healthy food, personalized nutrition information, breastfeeding support, and other services for women with young children.
During COVID19, the program is offering new options for WIC participants. SC State Director of WIC Berry Kelly told News19, “Some of the updates that have recently occurred is we received waivers from the US Dept of Agriculture to waive regulatory requirements for physical presence.”
Starting April 13, participants will be able to talk over the phone with WIC clinics rather than being required to go to in-person appointments.
Kelly continues, "in regards to COVID19 we wanted to make our WIC service as convenient for our participants as we possibly can- so we decided to provide WIC service remotely to reduce the risk to WIC participants and WIC staff.”
Late last year, South Carolina’s WIC program transitioned to EWIC- a digital service for participants allowing them to participate in classes and receive their benefits electronically rather than in person helping further keep them safe at home.
And because of product shortages, WIC participants are also being offered more options for groceries, like half gallons of milk rather than full gallons.
“I am totally amazed by the work that WIC staff has been doing to ensure that moms and babies continue to receive WIC services here in our great state," Kelly says.
According to DHEC, WIC participation has grown by over 2,000 participants in just the last month. Serving over 76,000 in the state.
You can read more about the changes here.