Community Action Pioneer Valley Opens New WIC Office at Hadley Crossing

HADLEY — On June 25, Community Action Pioneer Valley opened a new office of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program at 4 Bay Road in Hadley. A formal opening and ribbon cutting is planned for early September.

Frances Hall, director of Community Services at Community Action Pioneer Valley, said the new site boasts a few advantages over previous sites, including location and expanded office space to serve an increased number of participants.

“We’re right on the fare-free B43 bus line, and there’s plenty of free parking,” she noted. “This will make a big difference to people who may have faced challenges with transportation to Community Action WIC sites in the past.”

Lev BenEzra, executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley, added that “Community Action’s WIC has been a cornerstone of healthy starts for families in our region for decades, and this new Hadley location improves access for families across Hampshire County. We look forward to welcoming families through these doors, where we can partner to improve each child’s health, and each family’s well-being and economic stability, through all that WIC offers, and by connecting them to other Community Action programs, like high-quality early childhood education and care, job training, or fuel assistance.”

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for people who are pregnant or have children under age 5. Participants are given a WIC EBT card that can be used at many local grocery stores on specific items such as milk, cheese, and yogurt; whole grains such as bread, oatmeal, and quinoa; fresh fruits and vegetables; and more. WIC provides breast/chest feeding support from the first prenatal visit forward and offers additional support when needed.

Families participating in WIC meet regularly with WIC staff and a nutritionist to check their children’s growth and development, ask questions, and get nutrition information. WIC staff also connect families with many other helpful resources.

“WIC is much more than a food benefit program,” said Valerie O’Connell, WIC program director. “It helps families stretch their food budget by providing access to healthy foods, trusted nutrition information, personalized support, and valuable community resources that help children get a healthy start in life.”

Community Action’s WIC program serves families in Franklin and Hampshire counties and some parts of the North Quabbin. WIC offices are located in Orange, Greenfield, and Hadley. Families who are interested in applying for WIC can begin on the state website, www.mass.gov/wic, or call (413) 376-1160 to speak to someone at their local office.