Mt. Carmel Center Kids Help Plant Trees at VOC

LUDLOW, Mass. (WWLP) – The Valley Opportunity Council will reopen its Women, Infants & Children’s (WIC) office in Ludlow on Wednesday. The Ludlow office, located at 14 Chestnut Place, closed during the pandemic, and a grand re-opening ceremony is set for 10:00 a.m., according to a news release from the Valley Opportunity Council. The grand reopening ceremony will feature snacks, activities, and a raffle, and will provide information to the community about available resources offered through the WIC program. WIC is a nutrition program that serves qualified families in Massachusetts. They provide nutrition education, referrals to healthcare, and social service agencies, and a WIC card that can be redeemed at certain grocery stores and pharmacies. There are WIC offices in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Westfield. The Valley Opportunity Council also offers assistance with housing, energy, and early education. They are the largest and most diverse Community Action Agency in western Massachusetts with an annual budget of $45 million. 

The federal Women, Infants and Children program that helps pay for groceries for millions of low-income mothers, babies and young kids has announced rule changes that will emphasize and increase monthly cash vouchers for more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as provide more choices of foods from different cultures.