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GREENSBORO — If you need further proof that the economy is hurting more people, look at the waiting room for Guilford County’s WIC program.

The space is filled shoulder to shoulder with mothers, their children and some fathers looking to enroll or have a checkup with the Women, Infants and Children food assistance program.

“I’ve been here since 2 p.m.,” Shatika Chavis said at 4 p.m. Monday. She was waiting with her 18-month-old son, Tyreece Jackson, who played around her ankles as she spoke.

Chavis, 30, is a certified nurse’s assistant but just had to take a pay cut.

“But, hey, at least I still have a job,” she said of her 30-hour-a-week job.

Rebecca Gilliland directs the county’s nutrition program that hands out the federal benefit to people such as Chavis and her son. Gilliland said her staff has heard similar stories more often in the past year.

Lines are growing to receive federal aid that helps families buy cheese, milk, fruit, vegetables and other staples to help women, infants and children.

“This morning, they were back down in the hallway and in the front lobby,” Gilliland said.

The agency is mostly federally funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

From October 2008 to October 2009, the caseload has grown by 813 clients to 13,424 in Guilford County, the maximum that it can handle. The caseload is limited by the money available.

When there’s a rise in demand, additional federal money comes as a mid-year allocation to add staff to deal with the increased load of clients. Since July, Guilford County has received $258,138 in those allotments, or roughly 10 percent of the department’s $2.26 million budget. Guilford County contributes $363,616 to that operating budget.

Across the state, the number of people participating has increased from 248,929 in August 2007 to 274,898 in August of this year, according to the latest figures available from Alice Lenihan, head of nutrition services for the N.C. Division of Public Health.

Each time that the state says Guilford County can increase its number of clients, the limit is easily met.

Gilliland and her staff avoid using the term waiting list, but she said her office always has more cases than it can handle.

“We’re looking at having Saturday clinics to get people in quicker,” she said.

Clients receive a three-month supply of vouchers and nutrition advice from registered dietitians and nutritionists.

The help is welcome to those who need it, even those who may work but be underemployed such as Chavis.

“At least you don’t have this to worry about,” she said. “You get your vegetables.”
 

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com