Valley Opportunity Council to Host WIC 50th-anniversary Celebration on June 14

HOLYOKE — Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is celebrating 50 years of its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program with an event for families on Friday, June 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitor Center, 221 Appleton St.

The event will feature free, fun family activities; a reading circle; free books for children; a snack demonstration; face painting; and fun on the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round.

The VOC WIC program provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services free of charge to qualified Massachusetts families. WIC serves low- to moderate-income people in critical stages of growth and development.

VOC has four WIC locations: 35 Mt. Carmel Ave., second floor, Chicopee; 300 High St., first floor, Holyoke; 14 Chestnut Place, Ludlow; and 94 North Elm St., Suite 207, Westfield.

The Valley Opportunity Council is the largest and most diverse Community Action Agency in Western Mass., with an annual budget of $45 million. With this federal designation, the VOC has established a powerful network of support and collaborative services intended to encourage community members to actively achieve self-sufficiency for themselves and their families. VOC employs more than 250 staff members and has 150 local vendors, providing a significant economic investment in the community.