WIC: A Story of Redemption

Our little family has received WIC assistance since my 8th month of pregnancy with Natalie. My experience at Vons today compelled me to share a bit about the program. To catch some of you up to speed:

"WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, a 100% federally funded program providing nutritious food (via prescriptive checks), individual counseling and nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to other needed services to at-risk, low- to moderate-income (up to 185% of the federal poverty level) women and children up to the age of five."

It's kind of misunderstood, a bit labor intensive to sustain and a huge tax commitment. Now, admission to being a recipient of public subsidies comes with a certain risk of posing a secretly-discussed question among your family and friends: why them? Isn't that for the perennially unemployed, The Welfare class, some "hidden econom[y] in the world of the low-wage worker"? I don't pretend that I understand poverty or the life-long experience of hand-to-mouth living that roughly 30% of the working, American public experiences. Don't fear! This won't be an editorial titled "My Life Relating to the Lower Class". It's just meant to be informative because the help to our family that WIC has given has been tremendous.
I had no idea about the program beyond seeing signs posted in the local corner markets I frequented while living in Minneapolis: "WIC Accepted Here". Nate's Aunt Betty, a former public health nurse in Wisconsin, brought it to my attention when I was 8 months pregnant with Natalie. It was our combined income and my pregnancy status (which poses a nutritional need that WIC can meet) that made me eligible for the program. I met with a wonderful representative, Jan, in the county office where my mom now works, who kindly and, very explicitly, explained to me the process of redeeming food with WIC coupons. I would qualify for 'pregnant mom' food for the duration of my pregnancy, and then for 'full-breastfeeding' food until the baby was 6 months, which is when its assumed you introduce solid food. I continued to qualify until Natalie was 1 year. She qualifies until she's 5 (repeated with Micah). I commit to infrequent consultations with the WIC staff (now in San Diego) about pregnancy nutrition, breastfeeding (including an at-home inservice complete with prosthetic boobie), and infant/child nutrition. In return I receive 'coupons' with items listed that I may redeem, free of charge, at the grocery store.
Here's a rough sketch to illustrate WIC Redemption at the grocery store. I decide how much of the cashier's time I feel like requiring at check out and pick out coupons accordingly (Part I of labor-intensive Redemption). "Well, we need cheese and eggs, not necessarily another gallon of milk yet, but use it or lose it. So, that's one coupon. I'm already here, so I'll get the black beans and peanut butter. Cereal is about the only thing I'm truly hungry for (in my 4-6th months) so I can't wait to get those. Three coupons. I hope there's no big line behind me." I spend several minutes in front of each item (brands and sizes down to the ounce outlined in a pamphlet) to make sure I am abiding by the fairly strict product guidelines (juice has to say '120% Vitamin C' on the front label, or the bread can only say 100% whole wheat, or the peanut butter can't have added sugar). I usually pick out a few more non-WIC groceries because I just can't bring myself to go for a out-of-pocket-free trip to the grocery store. But, I usually get things in bulk at another store because its cheaper. What to get here? I better make it look a bit healthy. Whole wheat crackers? Cottage cheese? That's should take their eyes off of the diet Cherry Pepsi that is my Achilles heel, especially when I need a quick comfort food as I head out the door for work at 7:30pm. Oh, and Nate and I love those Vlasic Kosher dills. Okay, I'm ready. My heart pounds as I think of getting in line with those coupons (Part II of labor-intensive Redemption) because a) many cashiers abhor the Redemption process, b) people who get in line behind me with 2 items seem to sigh (which I doubt they are) with every beep of the scan, which often requires a glance at a three-ring binder, and c) I just feel weird about getting food for free (relatively speaking, but for the sake of this post I'll leave it at that). If I've made a mistake, which seems to happen each trip despite my meticulous efforts to the contrary, some cashiers will silently but, still efficiently, continue to check out the goods and rectify my error. Some will tell me, in a word-for-word expository from the WIC pamphlet, exactly what I do and don't 'get', and some are kind and understanding. This brings me to the impetus for this post in the first place.
I have redeemed WIC coupons in many locations. Most of them have been chain grocery stores, but among those I have found one, a drive 14 miles round trip and out of my way, for the service of the cashiers: the Vons in Clairemont. Despite my coupons, my baffling repetition of errors, and their requirements to check out my groceries, I have almost never been met with unkindness, judgmental eyes, silent treatment, or even fake courtesy. People who work at this massive store are always friendly and understanding. Again, I don't pretend to have scoured the depths of humiliation that most 'have nots' survive because they always seem to be required to grovel, but this collective countenance of acceptance and understanding makes an astounding difference in this experience of Redemption. I often leave trying to hold back tears of relief at being treated with some freaking slack. I find myself making some self-deprecating comment about the work I'm adding to their already-busy job, orI go overboard with my gratitude (not really possible with cashiers), but will come to find that many cashiers were WIC recipients themselves, and not always as adults but as children. So imagine how gripped my heart was to hear today's cashier (after leaving the till to go retrieve the correct 64oz. bottle of juice for me) recall her foster mom shopping for food, for 5 kids, with WIC coupons and being made to cry by a cashier (in front of at least one kid, obviously), for whatever way the mom tripped up that person's day. Here she is with a steady job, a great attitude and compassion to dole out. I felt for the first time in a long time what this program truly is: more then just picking up free groceries it's temporary assistance that ensures that some of my kids' food will be healthy and accessible. It has provided more information about nutrition and more encouragement about breast feeding than all providers I've seen, for both kids, combined.
So, if you're a cashier keep the smiles and the positive energy. If you get behind some coupon-wielding mom who may feel even a fraction of the way I do when in line, read the tabloids for a few more minutes as you wait to pay for your (probably melting) ice cream. By the way, WIC coupons now include a cash stipend towards fresh fruits and veggies, organic included. I think many of us can appreciate that on a certain, let's say familial, level.