The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is now providing easier access for Sturgis residents to its WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program.

Beginning on March 9, 2012, the satellite clinic will be open at the Holy Angels Catholic School located at 306 S. Nottawa Rd. Sturgis, MI 49091. The clinic will be open on Fridays of each month from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only. To make an appointment, call (269) 273-2161. A Spanish translator will be available. “The satellite clinic will make the WIC program much more accessible for Sturgis area residents as they will no longer have to travel to Coldwater or Three Rivers. It will make it much easier for our agency to reach more people in need within our community,” says JoAnn Wilczynski, Prevention Services Director.

WIC is a program that provides nutritious supplemental foods and education for pregnant women, breastfeeding moms up to one year after delivery, newborns up to one year of age and children ages 1 to 5 who meet the following guidelines:

• Michigan Resident (citizenship not required)

• Show a medical or nutritional risk. This can include anemia, overweight,underweight, an underlying chronic disease, pregnancy, inadequate growth or inadequate diet.

• Income Eligible: if you are on Medicaid, receive Food Stamps or fall at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Guidelines for 2011-2012 are as follows:

Federal Poverty Guidelines (Click on image to enlarge)

Why should I participate in WIC?

WIC participation has been proven to:

• Decreases the incidence of low birth weight and lowers the occurrence of pre-term deliveries.

• Dramatically lowers infant mortality among Medicaid beneficiaries

• Lowers the rate of anemia among children ages 6 months to 5 years.

• Leads to higher rates of immunization against childhood diseases

• Significantly improves children’s dietary intake of vitamins and nutrients

If you have any questions or to find out if you are eligible for WIC, feel free to contact the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency.

Branch County
570 N. Marshall Rd.
Coldwater, MI 49036
(517) 278-9561

Hillsdale County
20 Care Dr.
Hillsdale, MI 49242
(517) 437-7395

St. Joseph County
1110 Hill St.
Three Rivers, MI 49093
(517) 273-2161

To learn more about the WIC program and to get each clinic’s schedule with dates and times, visit our website at www.bhsj.org.

To download a flyer regarding the new satellite office, click here.

Source:  News release from Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency