Community Action Partnership of Cambria County
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)


The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a short-term intervention program designed to influence lifetime nutrition and health benefits in a targeted, high-risk population.  In order to be eligible for WIC benefits, individuals must exhibit a medical or nutritional risk verified by a health care professional, and have an income level equal to or less than 185% of poverty, or be enrolled in Medicaid.

WIC Benefits:
  • Quality nutrition education and services
  • Breastfeeding education and support
  • Monthly supplemental
  • Access to prenatal and pediatric health care services
WIC Successes:
  • Every dollar spent on pregnant women in WIC produces $1.92 to $4.21 in Medicaid savings for newborns and their mothers.
  • It costs $22,000 per pound to raise a low (less than 5.5 pounds) or very low (less than 3.25 pounds) birth weight infant to normal weight (7 pounds).  It costs $40 per pound to pay WIC expenses.
  • 50% of all pregnant women on WIC in Cambria County breastfeed their infants for at least 13.5 weeks.
The WIC program serves 7.4 million pregnant women, new mothers, infants and preschool children through 9,000 clinics nationwide.  On a monthly, 11 CAPCC WIC staff provide a multitude of services to an average of 3,600 individuals at 15 office sites located in various communities throughout Cambria County.  The largest of these WIC office sites are located in Northern Cambria, Gallitizin, Portage, Nanty Glo, and Johnstown.

In the upcoming year, WIC agencies across the state will concentrate on outcome based goal sterring related to diet and exercise along with behavorial changes which directly influence both issues.