The first has to do with our most precious asset: young mothers, their infants and children. I refer to a federally sponsored program offered by the Addabbo Family Health Center. It is called WIC, which stands for Women, Infants and Children. Over the years it has proven to be a boon for mothers, and their children.

The second item is to highlight a local business, the Greenpoint Savings Bank, which has generously donated some much-needed equipment to the Addabbo WIC program to make our administrative efforts more professional. This gift shows that this business firm wants to be a partner with a local health care provider, supporting the goals of the Addabbo Family Health Center and our commitment to good care for all of its Rockaway neighbors. Thanks and a loud hooray for the Greenpoint Savings Bank and all such businesses.

Allow me in this article, however, to highlight an Addabbo program that I am very proud of and the one to which this support has been offered. It is called WIC. Basically WIC is a preventive health care program that provides nutritious food supplements to low income women, and their children.

The entry point for interested mothers to take advantage of this super program starts with the mother and her physician, (who does not have to be an Addabbo physician) who completes a medical referral form that includes the children’s height, weight etc., which then enables the mother to receive a voucher from that physician that allows her to purchase many nutritionally basic foods at the participating store of her choice.

These selections range from infant formula, milk, juice, eggs, cheese to cereal and legumes (e.g. peanut butter, dried peas and beans). These may not be your usual purchases but they are the tops nutritionally for the infants and children and are not bad for momma either.

This program requires the mother’s income to be within an accepted income range. It is unfortunate that many women do not take advantage of this program right here at the Addabbo Family Health Center. If you have any questions call our office. It is funded by the federal government for our mothers and their children and infants.

Again thank you to the Greenpoint Savings Bank for its gift of equipment to this program. It is help like this that keeps community organizations going.