DHEC sees increase in WIC recipients in SC amid coronavirus outbreak
South Carolina has seen an increase in people receiving assistance in the Women, Infant and Children nutrition services program amid the coronavirus outbreak.
And with calls for social distancing taking place, residents who qualify for the nutritional services won’t have to visit WIC clinics in person to receive benefits.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control announced on Thursday, as of March, WIC provides services to 76,803 participants in the Palmetto State. That is an increase of more than 2,100 people from the previous month, DHEC said in a news release.
“We encourage South Carolina families who are experiencing loss of income related to COVID-19 to apply to our WIC program,” said the state’s WIC Director Berry Kelly.
To help with the increase of clients, starting on Monday, appointments and issuance of nutritional services will be made over-the-phone instead of having clients go to WIC clinics, DHEC announced.
Program officials also have expanded the products WIC recipients could buy with the assistance, such as allowing purchases of half-gallons of milk instead of a whole gallon.
“We recognize that many South Carolinian families are facing hardships during this time,” Kelly said. “TEAM WIC has done an amazing job making WIC services available by phone.”
WIC provides assistance for pregnant women and parents or guardians of children under the age of 5 and meet certain income guidelines to buy nutritional food.
There has been an economic slowdown in the state during the pandemic. The governor has also issued a home or work order to limit how often people are out and about, closed dine-in service at restaurants and closed non-essential businesses to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The slowdown also has led to an increase in applications for unemployment benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in recent weeks as well.
