Nutrition Program’s Increase in Clients
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I’ve recently learned that the number of women, infants and children eligible for federally funded Women with Infant Children services in Orange County has increased from 10,000 to 16,000 per month. The funding available to our county WIC administrators is far below the amount required to assist the additional numbers of these poverty-stricken, undernourished pregnant mothers and children.
This condition exists nationwide. Additional appropriations for this special supplemental food program are needed from our Congress.
Therefore, I strongly urge Orange Countians to write the senators and congressmen to pass on additional funding. The WIC program is very cost-effective because, among other things, it reduces the number of hospitalizations for premature births. For every $1 we spend, we will save $3 on future problems such as mental retardation, birth defects, learning disabilities and infant mortality.
Our children are our national treasure, and we cannot let their hunger and poverty remain our national tragedy.
NANCY CATALDE
Irvine
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