 Both the WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition programs encourage
low-income families and seniors to improve their diets while helping
America's family farmers increase their markets for locally grown
fruits and vegetables. The program served 74,000 women, infants and
seniors in Illinois last year.
"The WIC and Senior Farmers' Market programs not only provide a
healthier source of produce for low-income families and seniors,
they also improve business for local farmers and promote fresh,
home-grown products," said Blagojevich. "Everyone, regardless of
their financial status, should have access to healthy, affordable
foods."
Vendors accepting WIC and Senior Farmers' Market coupons this
year will see the benefits of an improved redemption process for the
farmers. Instead of batching coupons for delayed payment to farmers,
actual checks are now being issued to participants. Booklets
containing $3 checks are being provided to WIC participants and
seniors between July 1 and Oct. 31, with seniors receiving booklets
valued at $21 and WIC participants receiving booklets valued at $15.
WIC participants can receive the checks when they are in the WIC
office receiving services during the months of June through
September.
Upon receiving these checks in exchange for produce, farmers will
be able to deposit them for immediate payment.
Checks for WIC participants are distributed to participants
during their regular WIC clinic visit, while the checks for seniors
are distributed at local senior citizen centers through the
cooperation of the Illinois Department on Aging, Area Agencies on
Aging and the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The Illinois WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition programs
currently assist more than 300 farmers. Seventy-five community
farmers markets in 35 counties will earn additional revenue through
the program.
"More than 60,000 women, children and seniors have been able to
obtain locally grown produce on a regular basis, encouraging
long-term consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables," said Adams.
"By supporting healthy eating, these programs have become important
tools in fighting obesity and poor nutrition in Illinois."
Expanding the WIC and Senior Farmers' Market program builds on
Blagojevich's earlier efforts to help families obtain healthy and
nutritious foods. In March, 1.5 million pounds of food was delivered
to the Illinois Food Bank Association to feed 37,500 families in
need. Food banks are also buying fresh fruits and vegetables from
area farmers markets as the produce comes into season.
"Good nutrition is essential at any stage in a person's life. The
Illinois Department on Aging is proud to be part of the Senior
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program -- a program that encourages
seniors to improve their diets and get the nutrition they need,
while at the same time helps our farmers gain sales," said Johnson.
While the
WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program was created by Congress in 1992, the
U.S Department of Agriculture's
Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program was started as a pilot
program in 2000 involving grants awarded to state agencies on a
competitive basis. Illinois has been awarded these grants since 2000
and hopes to continue the trend now that the senior program has
become a permanent USDA program.
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Eight farmers markets have been approved to accept the Link card
this year: Logan Square Farmers Market, 61st Street Farmers Market,
Green City Farmers Market, Englewood Farmers Market and Wood Street
Farm Stand in Chicago, Old Town Market, Belleville; Galesburg
Business Association Farmers Market, Galesburg; and Susie's Garden
Patch, Garden Prairie. Customers can use their Link cards to buy
locally grown produce.
For more information about these programs, contact the Illinois
Department of Human Services at 1-800-843-6154 (option 5) or write
to the program unit at the following address: WIC and Senior Farmer
Market Programs, Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of
Family Nutrition, 535 W. Jefferson, Springfield, IL 62702.
New WIC and Senior Farmers' Market
Nutrition Program counties:
-
Boone County Health
Department
-
DeWitt/Piatt
Bi-County Health Department
-
Logan County Health
Department
-
Marshall County
Health Department
-
McHenry County Health
Department
-
McLean County Health
Department
-
Moultrie County
Health Department
-
Pike County Health
Department
-
Union County Health Department
Currently funded WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
counties:
-
Adams County Health
Department
-
Champaign County
Public Health Department
-
Coles County Health
Department
-
Community and
Economic Development Association
-
Cook County
Department of Public Health
-
DeKalb County Health
Department
-
Edgar County Health
Department
-
Franklin-Williamson
Bi-County Health Department
-
Jackson County Health
Department
-
Jefferson County
Health Department
-
Kankakee County
Health Department
-
Lake County Health
Department
-
Macon County Health
Department
-
Marion County Health
Department
-
McDonough County
Health Department
-
Morgan County Health
Department
-
Peoria City/County
Health Department
-
Perry County Health
Department
-
Rock Island County
Health Department
-
St. Clair County
Health Department
-
Sangamon County
Department of Public Health
-
Vermilion County
Health Department
-
Washington County
Health Department
-
Winnebago County Health Department
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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