Greene County aid office for young families switches sites as caseload jumps

The Fairborn Women, Infants and Children (WIC) office at 600 Pierce Drive has shutdown as it prepares to reopen at 25 S. Central Ave. April 3, according to Greene County Public Health. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Fairborn Women, Infants and Children (WIC) office at 600 Pierce Drive has shutdown as it prepares to reopen at 25 S. Central Ave. April 3, according to Greene County Public Health. (Photo: Business Wire)

FAIRBORN — A nutrition program for young families has closed in Fairborn, so it can move to a larger site as its caseload grows.

The Fairborn Women, Infants and Children (WIC) office at 600 Pierce Drive has shut down as it prepares to reopen at 25 S. Central Ave. on April 3, according to Greene County Public Health.

The move will more than double the program’s space, allowing it to better handle an increasing clientele, said Jorge Magana, nutrition program manager for GCPH.

“We’ll be able to run educational classes from this new location,” he said. “We’ll be able to have a room dedicated” for that purpose, something the former site did not have.

WIC helps eligible pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who recently had a baby, or women who have infants and children up to 5 years of age, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

The program provides nutrition education, breastfeeding education and support; foods such as cereal, eggs, milk, whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables, and iron-fortified infant formula.

Magana said the nearly 2,000-square-foot location will better equip staff to handle a caseload that currently is about 700 participants, a 24% increase.

Meanwhile, the SafeTrade Syringe Services Program that has operated at the Pierce address will offer mobile services from that location starting Friday before moving to the new WIC address, public health said.

WIC participants needing assistance during this time can call the Xenia WIC office at 937-374-5659.

The Xenia office will remain open to serve participants from the Fairborn office during the moving process, county officials said.

About the Author