Butte County WIC Working to help you

The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is here for you! Whether you have recently had a change in employment and are newly in need of assistance or have already been participating in the WIC program, we are here to help. In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Butte County Public Health WIC program is temporarily providing all services over the phone. With the new California WIC Card and the California WIC App, it is easier than ever to get your benefits from the comfort of your own home! The staff at Butte County WIC is dedicated to making sure there are no delays in services while taking every precaution to keep themselves safe and to protect those we serve.

WIC is a nutrition assistance program that provides monthly benefits to purchase foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, and more. WIC also provides breastfeeding support and free access to an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), hospital-grade breast pumps and other breastfeeding supplies; as well as nutrition education and information for a child’s stage of growth, and referrals to healthcare and community resources.

WIC services are provided to women who are pregnant, women who are breastfeeding up to one year postpartum, and women who are not breastfeeding but have an infant six months old or younger as well as women who have had a miscarriage within the last six months. We also serve infants as soon as they are born and children until the month of their 5th birthday. Anyone caring for a child under the age of 5 can get benefits for that child; this includes grandparents as caretakers, single dads, and foster parents! To be eligible for WIC, you also have to meet income eligibility. For a family of 3, that would be a gross (before taxes) monthly income of $3,289. If you or your child receive Medi-Cal, CalWorks or CalFresh, then you are most likely eligible regardless of your monthly income. Women who are pregnant are encouraged to apply as soon as they find out, even if a doctor has not seen them yet. in need of some extra help right now, we can complete your enrollment over the phone and mail a new WIC Card to you! It’s easy to apply for WIC in Butte County. You can either contact us at 530-552-4025 or submit an online application on our website at http:// www.buttecounty.net/ph/Programs/ WIC. Benefits will be loaded onto your card the same day that you complete the enrollment appointment. You will be able to use the card at local grocery stores as soon as you receive it in the mail, or schedule a pick-up time at our Chico or Oroville locations. Download the California WIC App on your smartphone to view the shopping guide and grocery store finder to see what is available near you. Once you have a WIC Card, you can register it on your app and be able to track your benefits and upcoming appointments in realtime!

If you are a current WIC participant, make sure you are checking your app and staying in contact with your local office. Benefits are being loaded automatically in some situations, so you may have food available to purchase even if you haven’t had an appointment recently. Make sure the foods that were loaded to your card are correct and that everyone in your household that participates in WIC was issued their benefits. You can call us if you need to make a change or if you want to get your future appointment scheduled, and the coming month’s benefits also loaded to your card. There have also been temporary food exceptions authorized so that there are more options available at the stores. Use your California WIC App to scan items at the store to see if they are now available to be purchased with your WIC Card.

The Butte County Public WIC Program has locations in Chico, Oroville, Gridley, and coming soon to Paradise! You can contact all offices by calling 530-552-4025, or online at http://www. buttecounty.net/ph/Programs/WIC.

What is the single most significant step you can take to reduce your stress during this worldwide pandemic?

Every day each one of us on this planet is experiencing an incredible level of stress caused by the massive worldwide pandemic of a disease that is changing everything we do.

Sadness for losing a loved one; worry for family members quarantined due to Coronavirus; loss of income; concern for our personal physical health; loss of retirement funds; complete change of our life logistics and plans; the fear of not knowing how our future unfolds vis a vis this disease and its impacts are all legitimate concerns.

Feelings of strong emotions such as fear, anger, anxiety, sadness, depression, or just being overwhelmed can take a significant toll on our mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical health if we are not careful. If left unattended, such feelings will overpower our mental energy and completely derail our clarity and focus in life. To turn such strong emotions from negative (harming us) to positive ones (assisting us), we must move decisively and calmly to regain control of our positive energy.

The reality is that we all react differently to stress. Since 1985, Azad’s Martial Arts Center in Chico has helped thousands of people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to regain control of their lives mentally, physically, and emotionally.

In an effort to help de-stressing our community, Grandmaster Azad, a 10th Degree Black Belt has decided to dedicate his time to hold several Relaxation-Meditation exercise sessions live online for all teens and adults.

Each week, Grandmaster will hold a series of 15-minute group guided breathing lessons to start you upon your journey to heal and regain the power and control in your life. You will develop a deeper level of clarity and calmness in the face of this pandemic storm as you learn the basics of rejuvenating your own internal energy. Grandmaster has made the lessons entirely free. For more information about the details, days, times, and online link to join the sessions, please call 530-892-AZAD (2923), 530-896- 0777, and or visit www.AzadsMartialArts.com.