Del. WIC program starts farmer’s market coupons

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be pricey, making it harder for some to get their hands on. That’s why Delaware’s Women, Infants, and Children or WIC program joined forces with the state’s department of agriculture.

Together they came up with the WIC Farmer’s Market program. This pilot program provides participants in WIC with special coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at 11 local Delaware farmers’ markets.

Delaware’s Division of Public Health, Chief of Community Relations Andrea Wojcik calls the plan a no-brainer.

“It’s a wonderful program to be able to expand the access and availability of fresh fruits and vegetables to our WIC clients and at the same time support local farmers and local agriculture,” says Wojcik.

Starting this Friday, both the parent and child will be able to get $15 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables once a month.

47 ABC spoke to one Farmer’s Market that can’t wait to contribute. Capital City Farmer’s Market Manager Tina Bradbury explains why she said yes to the WIC program.

“I want our market here in Dover. I want Dover to be put on the map as accepting everything that’s out there and bringing it to our local community.”

And Capital City Farmer’s Market is just one of the many markets ready to help their community and the enthusiasm is obvious.

“Anything that we can do to help them more easily get those fresh fruits and vegetables and incorporate them into their diets and make them healthier we take advantage of that whenever we can…to get that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day because we know that eating healthier especially with the fruits and veggies is shown to help reduce the risk of preventative diseases…so we’re just trying to build a healthier Delaware step by step,” says Wojcik.