Helping Families Stay Healthy
Resources for Your Community

Introduction

Basic needs – food, clothing, shelter, and adequate health care – things we all need to stay healthy, yet these are things many people lack at certain times in their lives for various reasons. Your agency is a unique situation in that you have a relationship with many families in your community. You know them; you care for their children.  And, in many cases, you know when they need help. How can you help? The following provides a list of federal, state, and local programs that are available to those that may be struggling in your community. You can help by getting the word out so those who need these programs are aware of them. To determine if a family is eligible for any of these programs, they can either contact their local county/tribal, social or human services agency OR visit ACCESS on-line at: access.wi.gov. For a detailed listing of all local offices, visit: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/em/imagencies/index.htm.

Programs That Can Help

FoodShare – is a federal program run by the State of Wisconsin. It is for families and single people with little or no income. FoodShare benefits are received monthly and are used to buy food at stores using a debit card called the Wisconsin QUEST Card. FoodShare benefits can be used to buy foods such as: Breads and cereals, Fruits and vegetables, meats, fish and poultry, dairy products, and seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat. Encouraging families to participate in FoodShare will benefit your child care center. If a family that you care for receives FoodShare benefits the children enrolled in your day care will be categorically eligible for the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Participation in FoodShare also helps take the burden off from emergency food resources, such as food banks and food pantries and puts money back into the local economy.

National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs – are Federal nutrition programs for children attending school. All children may participate in these programs when attending school; however children coming from lower-income families may qualify to receive the meals for free or at a reduced price. Families need to apply for the benefits through the school their child attends. Applications may be completed throughout the school year. As with the Child and Adult Care Food Program, if a family qualifies for FoodShare, children attending school are then categorically eligible for free breakfast and lunch through these programs.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) – is a Federal nutrition program that is designed to promote and maintain the health and well-being of nutritionally at-risk pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children. WIC provides supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition and breastfeeding information, and referral to other health and nutrition services. WIC promotes and supports breastfeeding. To be eligible for WIC benefits in Wisconsin, a person must: be a pregnant, breastfeeding or new mother; be an infant up to age one; or be a child up to age 5; and be a resident of Wisconsin; and be income eligible; and have a health or nutrition need. Families should contact their local WIC project office to apply. To find the nearest location, visit: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/wic/localproject/localprojects.htm.

BadgerCare Plus – is a program for children under 19 years of age and families in Wisconsin who need and want health insurance. It is for all children, regardless of income. It also offers access to comprehensive, affordable health care to many families and pregnant women in Wisconsin. BadgerCare Plus is designed for people who do not currently have access to health insurance. It is not designed to replace private insurance. For that reason, there are specific rules that do not allow most people to drop their private insurance to participate in BadgerCare Plus. For information about the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan for Childless Adults, go to https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus/index.htm. To enroll in BadgerCare, families can contact any of the community organizations listed on: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus/contacts.htm. They can also apply on-line through the ACCESS website.

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) – provides assistance for heating costs, electric costs, and energy crisis situations.  Operating with federal and state funding, the program provides assistance to approximately 160,000 Wisconsin households annually.  Most types of fuel are eligible to receive assistance.  Whether it is wood, propane, natural gas, electricity, or fuel oil to heat the home, energy assistance is available for those that qualify. For more information on the WHEAP and how to apply, please call 1-866-HEATWIS (432- 8947), or visit the "Where to Apply" tab on www.homeenergyplus.wi.gov to find the local energy assistance agency.