New WIC rules include more money for fruits and veggies, expand food choices

da opportunity councils is expanding its services for its women infants and children nutrition program and 22 news reporter Kiara Smith joins us live in studio with how this expansion will broaden access to more nutritious food Nick Siara this Wick program helps pay for groceries for many low-income mothers and their young children the services for this program will be expanding there will soon be a bump in monthly cash vouchers that will allow mothers and their babies to have a wider selection of food when they go shopping some of those food options include more fruits vegetables whole grains and more cultural food families who qualify can also get fresh herbs fish and lactose-free milk this was part of an effort to help promote a healthy diet Steven Huntley with the Valley Opportunity Council says children and their fames should have access to fruit in their neighborhoods and now their local stores will give them more options to choose from often times you see bananas as one of the only fruit options in in a lot of these small bodegas but with the expanded benefit they can offer other fruits and and it really helps them and the business just last year the federal program served about 6.6 million lowincome Americans per month all of this at a cost of more than $7 billion the vouchers that will come with these new Wick rules are expected to begin in June working for you Kiara Smith 22 News