The not-for-profit North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) launched its first annual Women, Infants & Children(WIC) Fun & Education fair on Saturday September 25th , 2010 at the Garden Plaza Convention Center in St. Charles County.
Hosted by NECAC, the event featured a variety of display booths that attendees could visit and speak with representatives from the various community support programs offered by NECAC. According to Brenda Fuqua, NECAC Assistant Deputy Director for Community Health Services “The fair was part of NECAC’s continual efforts to reach out to the general public and educate them as to the support services available.” Also featured at no charge during the fair were subject matter experts speaking on topics ranging from “Childhood Asthma & Allergies” and “Understanding childhood behaviors”.
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a special supplemental nutrition program which provides services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility. The primary services provided are health screening, risk assessment, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and referrals to health care. Supplemental food is provided at no cost to participants.
NECAC is a 12-county area social service, community health and public housing agency that contracts with local, state and federal governments, private businesses and other non-profit groups to administer and deliver self-sufficiency programs to the low-income, elderly, youth, handicapped and disadvantaged. Currently the agency provides WIC services to over 17,000 clients in Warren and St. Charles counties.
In Warren County, WIC services may be obtained at the NECAC Warren County Service Center & Family Planning/WIC Clinic located at 120 East Main Street in Warrenton and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well as the 2nd Saturday of every month.
In St. Charles County, WIC services are available at the NECAC St. Charles County Service Center & Family Planning/WIC Clinic located at 3400 Meadow Pointe Drive in O’Fallon and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday as well as the 3rd Saturday of every month.
Michelle Walch is the NECAC WIC Health Services Coordinator at both locations and can be reached at (636) 456-2933 in Warrenton and (636) 240-7350 in O’Fallon. Appointments are encouraged at both locations.
