Hawaii is offering more financial relief to families through a temporary increase in cash value benefits for its Women, Infants, and Children Program this summer.

The federally funded program provides Hawaii residents that are pregnant, breastfeeding, postpartum, or mothers of children under age 5 with access to food, nutrition education and support.

With a boost from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the cash value benefit for WIC will increase to $35 for first-use dates during the months of June, July, August, and September.

They can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables at authorized vendors. WIC recipients will also continue to receive milk, cereal, juice, whole grains, beans, peanut butter, and baby food as part of their monthly benefits.

“This pandemic has been incredibly hard on Hawaii families,” said Melanie Murakami, DOH’s Branch Chief, WIC Services, in a news release. “The temporary increase of $35 will allow families to maximize WIC benefits and continue to include more fruits and vegetables into their daily meals while helping ease the extra financial stress they had to endure this past year.”

To learn more about the Hawaii WIC Program, visit health.hawaii.gov/wic.