WIC Accepting New Clients in Missoula – Surrounding Counties

For those in need of assistance, the Missoula WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is now accepting new clients in Missoula and the surrounding counties.

WIC Supervisor Kate Devino describes the services offered by her agency.

“Missoula WIC is a program that provides nutrition education, support and food benefits to families in Missoula with children under five years of age, as well as pregnant and postpartum moms,” said Devino. “We currently are accepting new clients at WIC. We have a lot of openings on our schedule and we have a lot of space to serve new clients.”

Devino said there are new options that can be used by their clients.

“We have the new program options,” she said. “We have a card that we put benefits on rather than paper checks, and we have some new food options. We now can have organic baby food and sliced, shredded or string cheese, as well as new brands and flavors of yogurt, in addition to whole grain and whole wheat bread.”

Technology has made it more convenient for those in the WIC program, as well.

“We now have some exciting new online education appointment options to reduce the number of office visits into our clinic,” she said. “We also have a new clinic location at the Missoula Food Bank, so clients can go there for multiple things that are happening at the food bank. We also provide help for fussy eaters, as well as breastfeeding support, and that’s a big part of our program, as well.”

Devino said she and her staff find working for the WIC program to be personally rewarding.

“We see a lot of families in here, and we provide so much support,” she said. “I love seeing families leave here feeling happy and confident knowing they can go to the store and buy foods that they know are healthy for their families.”

Households enrolled in the following programs automatically meet income eligibility for WIC: Healthy Montana Kids Plus (HMK-Plus) and Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and National School Lunch Program (free and reduced-price meals).

Specific income guidelines are available online at wic.mt.gov or by calling 1-800-433-4298.

The main Missoula WIC clinic is located at the health department, 301 W. Alder St. in Missoula. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.