WIC..pay for each item separately?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FACT:

WIC does not cover any organic baby food or any puree with meat in it.

So systematically, lower-income babies are afforded less-healthful options---even when the prices are the same.

What, pray tell, is the public health benefit of no organic fruit/veg puree and no mixes with protein (e.g. turkey and sweet potato).

We also are not allowed to self-check-out or make use of the 15 items of less aisle (even when using a single check for a handful of items). Ostensibly, such convenience would somehow reward us inappropriately. And, of course, anyone receiving assistance MUST be monitored.

If the store doesn't have all 13 cans of formula or the full 16 jars of 4oz baby food that is allowed, you can't use your check. So what do you do about the food you were counting on that day? We have to either make another trip or find what you need in stock at another store. (This happens quite often at the Soviet Safeway on 17th. Oh, and this store only seems to have pears and sweet potato in stock. Sometimes, they also have peas. That's it for variety. What does your child eat?)

The level of degradation WIC recipients are subject to at grocery stores is utterly staggering. A woman at Safeway was notorious for yelling about the brand name of eggs that WIC recipients could get or the type of milk. None of this was in accordance with the literature I had to carry with me each and every time I went to collect DS's supplies.

Honestly, until I had a very serious talk with the manager, this woman basically treated these interactions as entertainment (Shame Game time!!!) and would run over to whichever line was processing WIC checks, just so she could review the items and antagonize the mom. Loudly!

FWIW, I always line my items up according to the order of the checks: 13 cans of formula, followed by 32 jars of baby food, then three boxes of rice cereal. I do this to facilitate the process and to reduce potential tension.

FWIW, I'm convinced that I get the shit I sometimes do when people assume I'm Latina. This is another reason I make a point of speaking up and making conversation as I pull out my checks.

Do you go through all of this preparation and worry when you make a grocery run for baby food?

The moms I meet at the WIC education sessions are great. They love their kids too, just like all of us on the Forum presumably do. It's often a helpful, supportive environment where we learn about breastfeeding and the important role of fathers and other health/nutrition issues. It's a really valuable program.

There's politics. Then there's motherhood. PLEASE connect with the compassion you have as parents and try to understand one Lincoln Navigator doesn't erase the vast, powerful good this program provides for millions of children who would otherwise be at greater disadvantage.

Funny, my child has never eaten organic food, nor meat - especially those processed baby food jar meats - REALLY, you are worried about your child eating organic and then grumping over organic jars - how do you know they are really organic in there. Make your own if you are so concerned about organic and healthy - its easy and you just freeze it in ice cube trays and reheat and depending on how much you make it is easier and cheaper. But, oh wait, unlike the rest of us, you have the nerve to complain you have the luxury of getting free food and formula and don't have to budget and oh... boo hoo... your child can't eat organic.... seriously????

Our grocery store - we go to the commissary often doesn't have a good selection as it is far cheaper - we make due. If they absolutely don't have something and we really need it for our child (and our child only) we will go back or go somewhere else or otherwise we wait another TWO weeks and eat what I bought or eat from the stockpile. If they only had a limited supply of baby food...which is common, no big deal - he ate what they had (till I got into making his own food as it was cheaper/easier/better - but not organic - we live on a budget), then ok... hopefully they had it the next time. And, nope, they didn't have his formula. I put in a request - they actually started carrying one of the two (we mixed two as it worked best) - so I had to go to multiple stores as it was popular and got picked over. Not fun as it was liquid and he'd use a quart a day and to haul him & the gear but you do what you need to do... still on formula and do it dragging the cart and his stroller but hey, I'm a mom and if it takes multiple trips, going further away then I do it.

I'll take being degraded any day as I easily spend $250 a month on formula - I can put up with that for $250 a month + cereal and + baby food. I was so grateful for the few formula checks the companies sent us and I traded for and the coupons in the paper. I couldn't imagine complaining like you about not organic or not enough selection (seriously, where I go has the WORST selection of baby food and really, it was plenty - if on baby food they don't need a huge variety or even meat and the main nutrition comes from formula or breastmilk).

[Anonymous]

https://www.angelfoodministries.com

Honestly this is a great program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.angelfoodministries.com

Honestly this is a great program

Hey PP thanks for the link! It reminded me of a program my grandmother's church used to run years ago, Share. Lo and behold, its still around. http://www.sharedc.org/index.html

[Anonymous]

As I read some of these posts, I cannot help but think of a program I saw on HBO where a journalist profiled a group of homeless families who lived in Motels. There is a lot of poverty right at our doorsteps and we don't always see it. These kids wore nice clothes becuase they were donated, but their lives were horrid. Don't judge books by their covers. I'm glad that the woman who commented on the Lincoln Navigator retracted her comments. I wish more of you would. So many of you are so self righteous and believe that you deserve all the good fortune that you have because you "earned" it when you should be looking at others and thinking "there for the grace of God go I" because anyone of us can have a turn of bad luck.

[Anonymous]

I earned it. I worked hard (two jobs) while in school and didn't have my first baby until 38, when I could afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I earned it. I worked hard (two jobs) while in school and didn't have my first baby until 38, when I could afford it.

WTH has that got to do with anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As I read some of these posts, I cannot help but think of a program I saw on HBO where a journalist profiled a group of homeless families who lived in Motels. There is a lot of poverty right at our doorsteps and we don't always see it. These kids wore nice clothes becuase they were donated, but their lives were horrid. Don't judge books by their covers. I'm glad that the woman who commented on the Lincoln Navigator retracted her comments. I wish more of you would. So many of you are so self righteous and believe that you deserve all the good fortune that you have because you "earned" it when you should be looking at others and thinking "there for the grace of God go I" because anyone of us can have a turn of bad luck.

Making an excuse for being on public assistance and driving a 60K car? WHATEVER, it is an insult to those who work hard to pay our taxes to support those gaining the system. People who should really be pissed are those whom the nagivator lady are competing with for limited resources. Yours is a world of rainbows and unicorns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FACT:

WIC does not cover any organic baby food or any puree with meat in it.

So systematically, lower-income babies are afforded less-healthful options---even when the prices are the same.

What, pray tell, is the public health benefit of no organic fruit/veg puree and no mixes with protein (e.g. turkey and sweet potato).

We also are not allowed to self-check-out or make use of the 15 items of less aisle (even when using a single check for a handful of items). Ostensibly, such convenience would somehow reward us inappropriately. And, of course, anyone receiving assistance MUST be monitored.

If the store doesn't have all 13 cans of formula or the full 16 jars of 4oz baby food that is allowed, you can't use your check. So what do you do about the food you were counting on that day? We have to either make another trip or find what you need in stock at another store. (This happens quite often at the Soviet Safeway on 17th. Oh, and this store only seems to have pears and sweet potato in stock. Sometimes, they also have peas. That's it for variety. What does your child eat?)

The level of degradation WIC recipients are subject to at grocery stores is utterly staggering. A woman at Safeway was notorious for yelling about the brand name of eggs that WIC recipients could get or the type of milk. None of this was in accordance with the literature I had to carry with me each and every time I went to collect DS's supplies.

Honestly, until I had a very serious talk with the manager, this woman basically treated these interactions as entertainment (Shame Game time!!!) and would run over to whichever line was processing WIC checks, just so she could review the items and antagonize the mom. Loudly!

FWIW, I always line my items up according to the order of the checks: 13 cans of formula, followed by 32 jars of baby food, then three boxes of rice cereal. I do this to facilitate the process and to reduce potential tension.

FWIW, I'm convinced that I get the shit I sometimes do when people assume I'm Latina. This is another reason I make a point of speaking up and making conversation as I pull out my checks.

Do you go through all of this preparation and worry when you make a grocery run for baby food?

The moms I meet at the WIC education sessions are great. They love their kids too, just like all of us on the Forum presumably do. It's often a helpful, supportive environment where we learn about breastfeeding and the important role of fathers and other health/nutrition issues. It's a really valuable program.

There's politics. Then there's motherhood. PLEASE connect with the compassion you have as parents and try to understand one Lincoln Navigator doesn't erase the vast, powerful good this program provides for millions of children who would otherwise be at greater disadvantage.

FACT:I can't afford organic, either. I cannot afford jarred baby food. I make my own baby food and I work a FT job, it is much cheaper. I also could not afford formula, so I breastfed. Carrots are $1.20/lb....that equates to 30 cents a jar.

No one is going to cry you a river over not being able to eat organic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I earned it. I worked hard (two jobs) while in school and didn't have my first baby until 38, when I could afford it.

WTH has that got to do with anything?

read 14:36. Slowly, since reading is not skill of yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I earned it. I worked hard (two jobs) while in school and didn't have my first baby until 38, when I could afford it.

WTH has that got to do with anything?

Agree. WTF does that have to do with anything? Who cares if you were older and could afford a Bugaboo, boutique clothing, live in a certain zipcode or drive them around in a fancy car. Babies don't know the difference.

At one point we were technically homeless. Not because we were (overly) poor but because DH had just separated from the military when we moved here. No one would rent to us without DH and I having proof of income. It didn't matter that he was interviewing for jobs or that we could write a check for an entire years worth of rent. We wound up staying with family, three hours away, and staying in hotels here for extended stays.

Another point in our married life DH lost his job. While I do work, I am not the breadwinner, and after 8 months of unemployment we were almost all the way through our savings. It was to the point where I filed for and was approved for welfare. We were about to cash in our retirement funds so we could pay our mortgage and really thought we would have to sell the house. We were lucky and we didn't have to use the welfare benefits because DH got a job days after we were approved and two weeks before my entire department at work was eliminated.

My kids are happy, healthy, and well adjusted. They also understand the value of a dollar. They know that life can change at a moment's notice and not to take things for granted. They also have a great deal of empathy and understanding.

[Anonymous]

Didn't he look for jobs before separating from the military? Or is that a military no no?

I don't understand. Most people find jobs before quitting the ones they have. And if my husband loses his job, I can't support the family on my PT pay but we have enough in the bank to hold us over for quite some time.

And that's why the 38 yo PP posted. She had established herself before having kids and making major life decisions.

It's just common sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I earned it. I worked hard (two jobs) while in school and didn't have my first baby until 38, when I could afford it.

WTH has that got to do with anything?

Agree. WTF does that have to do with anything? Who cares if you were older and could afford a Bugaboo, boutique clothing, live in a certain zipcode or drive them around in a fancy car. Babies don't know the difference.

At one point we were technically homeless. Not because we were (overly) poor but because DH had just separated from the military when we moved here. No one would rent to us without DH and I having proof of income. It didn't matter that he was interviewing for jobs or that we could write a check for an entire years worth of rent. We wound up staying with family, three hours away, and staying in hotels here for extended stays.

Another point in our married life DH lost his job. While I do work, I am not the breadwinner, and after 8 months of unemployment we were almost all the way through our savings. It was to the point where I filed for and was approved for welfare. We were about to cash in our retirement funds so we could pay our mortgage and really thought we would have to sell the house. We were lucky and we didn't have to use the welfare benefits because DH got a job days after we were approved and two weeks before my entire department at work was eliminated.

My kids are happy, healthy, and well adjusted. They also understand the value of a dollar. They know that life can change at a moment's notice and not to take things for granted. They also have a great deal of empathy and understanding.

[Anonymous]

https://www.angelfoodministries.com

Honestly this is a great program

Hey PP thanks for the link! It reminded me of a program my grandmother's church used to run years ago, Share. Lo and behold, its still around. http://www.sharedc.org/index.html

I posted the angelfood link. Both seem like good programs but with angelfood you get more. There is no volunteer hours.

I have a few friends who use angelfood and love it..

[Anonymous]

Obviously the process of applying for and using the program should not be degrading and overly cumbersome for the recipients that need it. That being said, I am a little suprised by some of the responses complaining that the program does not offer brands/types of bread, tortillas etc. that your family likes. The purpose of the program is to supply supplemental nurtition to those who need it, not necessarily to supply certaub brands/types of food that you want.

[Anonymous]

I imagine that the application process and utilization process may be cumbersome, but think it is important to keep in mind how lucky we are to live in a place that provides this type of service to people who need it. I've traveled a great deal, and in many places, children have to resort to begging or digging through trash to avoid starvation. That isn't to say that people here don't have the right to advocate for changes improvements to the WIC program, but I do think it is important to keep in mind that it is a benefit that we are really fortunate to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I earned it. I worked hard (two jobs) while in school and didn't have my first baby until 38, when I could afford it.

Unfortunately, in this economy many people equally confident have found themselves in dire straits. Truly. You really are out of touch if you feel that hard work and delayed childbearing are enough to inoculate you against job loss, health crisis, or other calamities that increasingly strike people just like you.