JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) will be closing all 81 of its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food distribution sites throughout the state in the months ahead. Approximately 70 positions will be eliminated.

This comes as WIC clients throughout the nation are being transferred to the use of electronic banking and a debit card for food purchases due to a federal mandate. The process has also started in Mississippi. The eWIC card will be more convenient for clients as they will have a choice of where to purchase food and infant formula. The list of products has been expanded as well. The eWIC phased rollout will take place over the next few months. For now, clients will have paper vouchers to take to the existing food centers for WIC food. 

To date, 85,000 Mississippians are enrolled in the WIC Program. The food distribution sites will be permanently closed by late summer and early fall.