Washington, D.C. (Friday, June 28, 2019) –  There’s a new safety net for military families with infants and children living in the Washington area.  Howard University Hospital today opened a new Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Family Center at  Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in SW, Washington, D.C.

The new center, located at 53 MacDill  Boulevard  in Building 53  will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9am to 4pm.  It will provide low income military families with infants and children access to a range of services including;   healthy foods, nutritional and educational counseling, breastfeeding support, health care and immunization resources, and community-based social services.

“Poverty and lack of health care access among military families are quite often overlooked with many families living well below the poverty line,” says Davene White, director of the HUH CARES Public Health Program. “Howard University Hospital is proud to open a new WIC center at Joint Base Anacostia – Bolling, which will help eliminate barriers and provide local military families with valuable nutrition education and resources to address their dietary and health needs.”  It was a joyous day for families on hand for today’s ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening.

WIC is a Federal supplemental nutrition program that serves as a safeguard for low-income, pregnant and post-partum (breastfeeding) women, infants, and children (up to age 5) who have a nutritional or medical risk. Families participating in the program receive vouchers for healthy foods such as skim milk, eggs, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, wheat bread, cereal, infant foods and formula.

“Studies show that babies born prematurely or with low birth weight are at a higher risk of an early death,” says White.

Today’s announcement is part of Howard’s ongoing commitment to eradicate social and healthcare disparities and improve the health equity of D.C.’s underserved populations. Funding for WIC vouchers are provided by each state and are administered at the local level by county and city health centers, or private organizations. The vouchers can be used at most grocery stores and military base commissaries.