DEARBORN — Mothers and young children in Dearborn’s South End will now be able to receive nutritional support through a new WIC (Women’s, Infants and Children’s) program site. 

The Wayne County Commission voted to modify its contract with The Resource Network Inc. of Hamtramck to open the site at 10547 Dix Ave.  The Resource Network also runs a WIC program site in Redford Township, and the cost of its contract will remain the same until its caseload is established at the Dearborn site, which opened on February 8.

The federal WIC program helps to ensure that low-income families have access to healthy foods and nutrition education, with the goal of improved pregnancy outcomes and reducing childhood obesity. It also provides referrals for health care services and breastfeeding support to pregnant and post-partum women and children up to their fifth birthday.

“The new WIC clinic in southeast Dearborn will be of great benefit to the residents in the area,” said Gary Woronchak, D-Dearborn. “There are many young families residing in the South End, and this clinic will be available to serve their needs.”

This marks the 13th WIC program under the jurisdiction of the Wayne County Department of Health, Veterans and Community Wellness. Along with the clinic in Redford, other existing clinics are in northeast Dearborn at 6450 Maple St., Garden City, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Inkster, River Rouge, Southgate, Sumpter Township, Taylor (two sites) and the city of Wayne.  

The Maple Street location in Dearborn location is operated by the nonprofit agency ACCESS.

Dr. Mouhanad Hammami – director of the Department of Health, Veterans and Community Wellness – told the Commission’s Committee on Health and Human Services that the South End site was needed because it is a low-income area in which many residents do not have access to transportation. 

The site on Dix, just west of Wyoming Avenue, is in the heart of the business district of the close-knit neighborhood.

Hammami said The Resource Network is a good fit for that site because of its connections into the Yemeni community, which is a significant part of the South End’s Arab-American population. The Resource Center, which was founded in 1990, has had a WIC contract with Wayne County since 2012.

For more information about the South End WIC clinic, call The Resource Network’s Redford clinic at 313-676-4220 or its main office at 313-365-3700.