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The benefit of membership in WALWICA for local agency WIC staff,
former WIC staff, and community partners is extensive. There
are three different levels of membership: Active, Affiliate,
and Associate.
- Active: Local WIC Staff who
are eligible for voting and holding office, participating
on committees and attending the State WIC meeting(s).
- Affiliate: Former WIC Staff
who are neither eligible for voting nor holding an office.
Affiliate members may participate on committees and attend
the state WIC meeting(s).
- Associate: Persons who are
interested in the WIC program. Associate members may participate
in meetings and be appointed to committees or special projects.
They may attend WALWICA-sponsored trainings for a registration
fee.
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Opportunities
for members
- Serve on committees working to influence and establish
policies and positions on issues related to the WIC program
and your agency.
- Receive the quarterly "WALWICA News", and have
access to resources such as statewide networking, outreach,
marketing and resources for health and nutrition issues
effecting WIC. Our newsletter is mailed and is also available
as .pdf files in the Members Only section of the website.
- Provide grassroots support for global issues concerning
WIC.
- Participate in WALWICA's Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Prevention
Project. Partner with the dental community to prevent baby
bottle tooth decay in WIC infants and children. Handouts,
posters and three videos have been developed and provided
free to all WIC agencies in Washington. Grant writing has
provided 38,000 baby cups yearly to all WIC infants in Washington.
- Improve skills to ensure a quality WIC program by participating
in the statewide training conferences WALWICA coordinates
for WIC, First Steps and breastfeeding promotion.
- Collaborate with other coalitions that support nutrition
and hunger advocacy groups.
- Be eligible for WALWICA educational scholarships.
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Benefits
of membership
Ever wonder what your $20 a year dues pay for? Currently WALWICA
dues pay for the newsletter to be printed and mailed and for
the website to be hosted by a commercial vendor. However, there
are many more benefits to membership and many more activities
in which WALWICA is involved, including: |
- Advocacy: WALWICA is a voice for members, local
WIC agencies, and clients. WALWICA members and other community
advocates have met with Leadership at the Deptartment of
Health and legislative aides to every U.S. Representative
and Senator. WALWICA travels to Olympia and met with state
Representatives and Senators, makes and receives telephone
calls, writes letters and e-mails to both federal and state
law makers.
- Partnership and collaboration: WALWICA works together
with local agency and state WIC staff to support and improve
the quality of the WIC program. WALWICA collaborates with
other organizations and coalitions that support nutrition
and anti-hunger programs, such as the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition
Coalition and Advocates for Farms and Families, a group
promoting the expansion of the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition
Program. WALWICA participates in the “Have a Heart for Kids”
rally in Olympia and "Hunger Ation Day".
- Program and policy development: WALWICA serves
on committees working to influence and establish public
policy and positions on issues related to the WIC program
and your agency. For example, WALWICA’s Executive Director
and many board members attended WIC re-design meetings,
representing the interests of local WIC staff.
- Training and skill building: WALWICA has access
to resources such as statewide networking, outreach, marketing
and training for health and nutrition issues affecting WIC.
Members attend WIC, First Steps, Breastfeeding Promotion,
Adolescent Health trainings and events to build and improve
skills and knowledge to ensure a quality WIC program.
- Communication: Members receive email correspondence
on issues that affect the WIC Program and maternal and child
health. They have access via the WALWICA website for posting
job listings, events and links. Members get quarterly updates
through WALWICA News.
- Leadership: WALWICA attends and participates in
national WIC decision-making processes through participation
in the National WIC Association (NWA).
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