Social Welfare Program of Choice - Research Paper Example

One of such welfare programs is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; which is also known as WIC. Since its inception, the WIC program has been looked upon as a nutritional program designed to be an add-on to the health care delivery system. Its main objective is to provide healthy food, education about nutrition, and referrals to health and other social services to participants free of cost. It primarily serves low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are nutritionally endangered (Nutrition Program Facts Food and Nutrition Services, 2011).

In order to apply for WIC assistance program, the applicant must be a pregnant woman, breastfeeding up to infant’s first birthday, postpartum for up to 6 months after the birth of the infant or the end of pregnancy, have infants up to 1 year old and children up to 5 years. These are the basic eligibility requirements. In addition to these, the applicant must be a resident of the country to which they are applying for assistance. Applicant’s income must fall at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty income guidelines.

And the applicant must be seen by a health professional, such as a physician or a nutritionist who must determine whether the individual is at nutrition risk or not (National WIC Association, 2011). WIC is administered by Food and Nutrition Servic