The Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, program administered by San Juan Basin Public Health is not just about food and formula, nutrition education and breastfeeding support – although that is a big part of what we do. It is also about connecting families with local healthy food options and building community.
One of the ways WIC does this is by providing participating families with access to locally grown produce in a partnership with farmers in our region. Through the Colorado Nutrition Incentive Program, which is funded by Nourish Colorado, local growers are paid for community-supported agriculture shares that are distributed to WIC participants for $8 each week. Doing so increases opportunities for food-insecure members of our community to consume more locally grown fruits and vegetables. This is a win for the growers as well, because they are paid for the shares at the beginning of the season, providing financial stability before harvest has even begun. Nourish Colorado also funds CSA shares designated for older adults through the Area Agency on Aging.
Through this effort, the WIC program has developed a wonderful partnership with Manna soup kitchen, whose staff members provide the invaluable service of working with several local growers to obtain the produce shares and distribute them to WIC families. Produce will be distributed weekly July 6 through Sept. 24 at four locations, including one in Ignacio. WIC staff members are busy recruiting 35 families to receive these of the low-cost produce shares.
This effort extends to Archuleta County, where WIC staff works with Tap Root Cooperative to bring produce from the San Luis Valley to the Pagosa Springs SJBPH office where it is distributed free of charge to interested WIC families. The free produce distribution program in Archuleta County started this week and continues through Sept. 19.
In San Juan County, WIC has forged a unique partnership with the Silverton School Gardens. Despite the short growing season, Silverton School Gardens provides a weekly produce share for each of the five WIC families in Silverton.
We estimate that this local produce program benefits more than 500 WIC families each year because there is often a rotation in participation over the course of the growing season. We are so proud to be able to offer this program that makes access to fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables easy and affordable. Not only does it improve families’ nutrition options and overall health, it supports the livelihood of our local growers. It is creating community at its best.
Jenny Howell is the WIC program manager for San Juan Basin Public Health. Reach her at jhowell@sjbpublichealth.org or 335-2018.
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