WIC/MATERNAL HEALTH
Summer Activities
Summer is always a busy time for the WIC program, with staff attending various conferences, trainings, and community events. This May, we were excited to send our entire WIC team to the Iowa Breastfeeding Conference in Ankeny. Staff gained valuable knowledge and skills that they’re eager to share with our breastfeeding participants. WIC staff were also busy attending health fairs and back-to-school events throughout the summer!
New WIC Food Packages – Coming October 1, 2025
Starting October 1, 2025, WIC families will see important updates to their food benefits. These revisions are designed to better meet nutritional needs, improve nutrient balance, and reinforce the supplemental nature of WIC. Key changes include:
- Permanent increase in the fruit and vegetable dollar amount
- Reduced juice allowance to 64 oz, or a $3 cash value for fruits/vegetables as a substitute
- Milk and milk substitutions reduced; chocolate milk will no longer be included
- Expanded whole grain options, including wild rice, bagels, sandwich thins, pita, and muffins
- Fish added for all participants
- More nut and seed butter options, in addition to peanut butter
Farmers Market vouchers are now available for eligible WIC participants - but supplies are limited. If you're interested, please contact our office at: 712-786-3419.
Maternal Health Program
Our Maternal Health program continues to provide vital support and education to pregnant women. Clinic visits include:
- Nursing education
- Nutrition counseling
- Psychosocial assessments and counseling
- Dental education and referrals
- Help arranging financial resources for delivery
In addition, our staff assist eligible women with applying for Presumptive Eligibility through the Maternal Health Program.
SIOUX & LYON COUNTIES OUTREACH
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Hello from both Sioux and Lyon Counties Outreach! How is it August already and where has the summer gone?
Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program Update
We made it through our first Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LiHEAP) season with our new computer systems! It definitely was a learning process, especially having to use two new systems, but we did it!
Construction at the Lyon County Office
Our Lyon county office has been temporarily closed as we were preparing to do some renovations at that location, but we began going back to that office on Wednesdays at the end of July as construction was pushed back. Despite the delay, we have still been able to provide services to our Lyon County clients. They may either call or stop by the Sioux Center office for their needs or a food box. I did go to the Rock Rapids office the morning of July 9th to hand out food boxes for those who couldn't make the drive down to Sioux Center, and am willing to work with clients with transportation barriers.
Monetary Donations Needed
We have seen a bit of an influx in the last 3 months of clients from both Lyon and Sioux county needing crisis assistance. If you would like to send a monetary donation towards our crisis programs, please give me a call at: 712-722-3611, or you can donate online via our donation page on our website here. All donations given in Sioux county will stay in Sioux county and all donations given in Lyon county will stay in Lyon county.
Food Donations Helpful
Both food pantries are still doing very well. We are always in need of food donations to keep our shelves stocked. If you would like to donate food to either pantry, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. We are always in need of cereal and other breakfast type foods (pancake mix, oatmeal, pop tarts), boxed meals, macaroni and cheese, cream soups, but any donation is always welcomed. Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids hosted a "Fill the Food Pantry" night on May 23rd. While it got rained out that night, they were still able to collect 85 pounds of food for our Lyon County food pantry! We also are receiving a donation of ground pork for the Lyon county food pantry from the "Haul out Hunger" program out of Des Moines. We love to be able to give out meat to our clients as meat is a huge expense at the grocery store.
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Healthy Kids Iowa Program
Our Sioux county food pantry is participating in Healthy Kids Iowa this summer. Eligible families for this program get access to additional food throughout June, July, and August such as fruits, vegetables, dairy items, grains, and proteins. Each child aged 4-18 in households at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level can receive a food box once a month during the summer. Families can only visit one site per month for Healthy Kids Iowa food.
Back-to-School Program
Our Back-to-School program in Sioux county is underway! Children going into kindergarten through 8th grade are eligible to sign up for a new backpack and school supplies. Pickup dates for these were scheduled for August 14 and 15.
Pool Passes Available
Both Sioux and Lyon counties are taking applications for pool passes for those who live in the Sioux Center school district for the All-Seasons Center and in Rock Rapids or have a 51246 zip code for the Rock Rapids pool. Just give us a call at: 712-722-3611 for assistance or any questions.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
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HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START
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The Head Start program provides services for three and four year old children. The program assists children and families in preparing them for kindergarten by supporting their development in physical, cognitive, social, and emotional areas. Head Start works with families to support their children's learning and success at home and in school.
Here are some highlights gathered in the annual Program Information Report for our 2024-2025 Head Start school year.
Enrollment
- We are excited to report that enrollment remained strong throughout 2024, maintaining over 97% capacity.
- Head Start is funded for 175 child slots, but served a total of 200 children due to drops throughout the year.
Staffing & Volunteers
- Head Start employed 60 staff members in 2024-2025, 13 of whom are current or former Head Start parents.
- Volunteering is an important part of Head Start and we had 226 individuals who volunteered their time or services during the year.
Health & Disabilities
- Ensuring children are healthy is a priority. EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment) screenings are completed within 45 to 90 days of enrollment.
- We supported families in accessing health, dental, and insurance resources. 18 children were diagnosed with chronic health conditions (such as hearing, vision, or lead level concerns). Many were found through our early screening process.
- Dental continues to be a challenge in our area. However, 92% of children received preventive dental care, thanks to strong partnerships with I-Smile, Siouxland District Health, and local dentists.
- Head Start is required to serve 10% of children with disabilities (17 children); in 2024-2025, we exceeded this, serving 16% of enrolled children.
Education
- High/Scope curriculum is used in the classrooms and GOLD is used to support ongoing child assessments.
- Developmental screenings, including ASQ & ASQ-SE, are completed with each child.
- Families have access to the Active Parenting curriculum to support child development at home.
Family Engagement & Support
- Head Start served 182 families in 2024-2025; 98 two-parent households, 84 single-parent households, with 13 children in foster care or living with relatives, and 16 children experiencing homelessness.
- At the end of enrollment, 71% of families were employed, enrolled in job training, or attending school.
- 59% received WIC services, and 37% utilized SNAP or food stamps.
- 32% of families received emergency or crisis assistance; such as food, clothing or shelter.
We’re excited for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. If you know a child or family who could benefit from Head Start, please call: 800-859-2025 today!
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Dashboards
Welcome to Mid-Sioux's Dashboards!
Stakeholders can now dive into our intuitive program dashboards for comprehensive data and insightful analysis. Let us guide you through the key trends and insights of our services.
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418 S Marion St | Remsen, IA 51050 | 712-786-2001 | 800-859-2025
www.midsioux.org
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