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Coronavirus increases local need for supplemental nutrition plan for mothers and children

"It entails primarily nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals and of course the supplemental food that we provide," one official said.

SAN ANTONIO — The WIC program through Metro Health is seeing an increase in families applying. The pandemic is playing a major part in the jump. WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. According to the USDA, last year in the U.S. the program served about 6.2 million participants per month.

Diana Montano with Metro Health and the WIC Department spoke to KENS 5 about the program and the process of enrolling.

"It entails primarily nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals and of course the supplemental food that we provide," she said.

Enrolling is fairly simple. Montano said you need a proof of residency, and you have to fall within certain income guidelines.

"For example, a family of four can earn up to $4,086 a month," she said. "And of course, we take into consideration gross pay. You have to have a child under the age of five or be a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum."

There are other benefits by being in the program, education is the biggest. It is also encouraged for moms to apply while pregnant.

"That way we can provide the food items that we provide," Montano said. "And that way also when their babies are born, they already know the process, so they can enroll their babies."

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