TYLER, Texas — The Tyler WIC offices are giving their clients an extra incentive to eating healthy. Every participant over the age of one will receive a free $30 voucher to buy produce from the Farmers Market next door to their office.
WIC and the Farmers Market are offering the program to bring fresh produce fruits and vegetables to WIC recipients.
“Well, having a nutritious or having fresh produce fresh fruits and vegetables, that's very critical in our diet,” WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Assistant, Camera Burrell said. “So, it's just beneficial, you know that people get fresh produce. It's much better than frozen stuff, right?”
Every Thursday, the market is open until noon right next door to the Broadway and Amherst location.
“It's healthy too, so you don't have to worry about taking your kids to the candy store you can take them to the farmers market and give them some fruit and vegetables,” WIC client Meoshia Harvey said. “That's a great thing. So yeah, I think this is a good benefit.”
Harvey says she loves the farmers market because of all the options.
“Peaches, strawberries, onions, everything fruits and vegetables like because I have a lot of choices to choose from,” Harvey said.
In addition to the voucher program, WIC offers a lot of other great services like health care referrals and nutrition education.
“Something that I think people don't know about WIC is that you may qualify for it," Burrell said. "You should just come to the office and see if you qualify for it because the income guidelines and restrictions for WIC, it's a little bit different than SNAP or TANF. “So I think wick is a really beneficial program every little bit helps you know, every little bit helps.”
For more information on WIC or the services they provide, you may visit their website.