Staff from the Women, Infants & Children Nutrition (WIC) Program were on hand on at the new HealthFirst Family Care Center on July 28, 2012 to distribute Farmers Market Coupons to eligible recipients. Hundreds of active WIC participants were in line early in the morning to get over 500 sets of free coupons. Participants were offered samples of watermelon salad and marinated cucumbers to taste and were invited to watch one of several cooking demonstrations by the WIC staff in the new classroom. "Showing people how to prepare the produce they can purchase with the coupons is important to ensure that people use the produce that they purchase," commented Lisa Alves. The program provides women and children in the Federal Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and elders with coupons redeemable at farmers markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. WIC participants receive these nutrition benefits in addition to the regular WIC food package. Local farmers are reimbursed for the face value of the coupons, thereby enhancing earnings and supporting participation in farmers markets. For more information about the WIC Program, contact Lisa Alves at 508-679-9349. (Some photos courtesy of Lisa Alves)

(Top row, left) Applicants line up in front of the new HealthFirst Family Care Center where the WIC office is now located. (Top row, center) Chhuorn Hong puts up a bulletin board with information about the Soda-free Summer Pledge Campaign. (Top row, right) WIC staff members Lisa Alves, Johnson & Wales intern Rebecca Benevides, and Carol Weber attend the registration table for WIC Farmers' Market coupon distribution. (Middle row, left) Sheri McCallister looks over the information available at the table .(Middle row, right) Louise Johnson greets her daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and son, Michael, as he holds baby Samantha. (Bottom row) Rebecca Benevides and Carol Weber use the new cooking demonstration classroom at the WIC office to demonstrate how to prepare a "Farmers' Market Squash Sauté" that can be made using produce purchased at local farmers' markets with the coupons.