Joplin WIC Office Celebrates 50 Years of Serving Women, Infants, and Children

This year, Joplin is celebrating a significant milestone along with the State of Missouri and our nation: five decades of dedicated service by the Missouri Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. WIC was created by the federal government through a USDA law passed in August 1972, which called for cash grants to be made to State Health Departments to help feed families in need. Established nationally in 1974, the program addressed malnutrition among vulnerable populations by providing high-protein supplemental food to low-income pregnant women, infants, and children.

The Joplin Health Department was one of the first five Missouri agencies which adopted the WIC program. The department applied for the program in August 1973, but it wasn’t until 1975 that we received approval to bring WIC to Joplin. The WIC office in Joplin initially only served post-partum mothers who were Joplin residents (for up to six weeks) and their children until they turned 4 years old. At that time, participants needed to meet income guidelines and be medically certified by a physician as needing the service. Joplin’s WIC clinic, initially located at 513 Kentucky Avenue, began operations in February 1975. The clinic started by serving 108 participants with benefits totaling $1,431.90 that first month, and by mid-1975, the program had expanded to serve 268 participants.The program’s early years were challenging, with a presidential campaign threatening to cut WIC funding, but the program persevered. By January 1977, Jasper County residents were added to the service area and the program was expanded to include children until they turned 5 years old and to provide services for pregnant and nursing mothers.

To mark its 50th anniversary, Missouri WIC has launched a year-long celebration, with April designated as “WIC Month.” Events included a special giveaway where the 50th participant at various WIC offices received a prize. In Joplin, this milestone participant received an insulated tote as a prize. Other 50th anniversary incentives are offered to participants. The biannual WIC Conference in November will present data on the last 50 years of the program and provide nutrition and breastfeeding educational opportunities for WIC program staff.

In recent years, the program has seen advancements, such as transitioning from handwritten benefits to electronic cards in 2020, a federal initiative to modernize the program. Originally located at 513 Kentucky Avenue, Joplin’s WIC services were moved to a new building at 509 Kentucky Avenue in May 1989. In June 2006, the Joplin City Health Department relocated to 321 E 4th Street, where WIC services are currently provided.

Today, Missouri’s WIC program operates through 115 local agencies across 250 clinics. In 2023, the WIC program in Joplin served 28,084 participants, and in 2024, the Joplin program is projected to serve 29,390. The Joplin Health Department is proud to serve our community through the WIC program, among our other program offerings, aimed at supporting families and promoting community health. Ensuring mothers and their children have affordable access to nutrition is an important mission. We are thrilled to have served the community through the WIC program for the last 50 years, and we are dedicated to continuing this service.

Reference:

Joplin Health Department
417.623.6122, ext. 1256