Well Child Center is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through education, counseling, and services in the areas of childhood nutrition and pediatric dental health.
Join us in our mission and help make Elgin the best place to be a child!
The Well Child Center is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through education, counseling, and services in the areas of childhood nutrition and pediatric dental health.
Well Child Center’s Commitment to Community!
During the past 12 months, Well Child Center has completely recommitted to our mission and the community. We also have reengaged with partners and families. It has been our honor to do this—because it matters and we’re already seeing the huge impact of our commitment!
The following are highlights of accomplishments over the past year:
Celebrated the 50th anniversary of Well Child Center!
Expanded our WIC program to include over 6,100 clients.
Reenergized our WIC program staff through the efforts of a new management team and a highly qualified and experienced WIC staff including registered dietitians, nutritionists, and frontline staff representative of the community.
Reached over 80% of our assigned WIC caseload capacity—the highest percentage for the WIC program at Well Child Center in its history!
Expanded our pediatric dental clinic to include over 4,100 patient visits in 2022-2023, to date.
Expanded our pediatric dental clinic hours to include 1 evening per week and 2 Saturdays a month.
Reenergized our dental clinic team through team building, education on “teach back” strategies and cultural competency for oral health professions, respectively, and more!
Hired two Community Dental Health Coordinators to serve as the face of the dental clinic in the community and as a liaison between families to the clinic.
Implemented a school-based dental clinic program through which over 60 children and adolescents have been seen in the last 3 months.
Opened an emergency pantry, Food for Families, serving the most vulnerable in the community in partnership with Food for Greater Elgin. Over 2,000 neighbors have shopped with us, to date.
Completed numerous building improvement projects at our main site on Wing Street.
Hosted numerous college- and high school-level interns to inspire the future dental/oral health, public health, and nutrition sciences workforce.
We could not have accomplished all that we have without the support and leadership of our board of directors. We also acknowledge that our work could not be achieved without the generous support of donors, partners, and individual community members who recognize the value of the services our organization provides.
While our 50th anniversary marked a milestone for Well Child Center, we know there is a lot more work to be done. We are confident that the future is bright for Well Child Center and that we will continue to thrive.
With sincere gratitude,
Michelle Esquivel, MPH, Executive Director
By creating and maintaining broad-based community partnerships with other organizations that provide health and social services, the Well Child Center strives to be a “one-stop-shop” for children in need, empowering families and enabling all children to reach their maximum potential.
The Well Child Center Pediatric Dental Clinic provides comprehensive preventative and primary dental care to children in need in the greater Elgin community.
WIC helps parents feed their children properly during critical periods of growth and development.
The Well Child Center was founded over 50 years ago with the goal of providing uninsured children with primary and preventive medical care.
Dental problems can lead to children missing partial lessons or entire days of school. Recent studies have found that 30% of children ages 6-12 missed school due to dental problems.
Continue Reading Dental Care for School Age Children—It’s More than Just Brushing
Starting in January, Well Child Center’s pantry—Food for Families—is coordinating food / supply donation activities each month! Check back here for monthly highlights.
Well Child Center was fortunate to engage local artist Leigh Hugenberg to develop a mural for the lobby in our main site on Wing Street. The mural is fun, whimsical, interactive and more! Stop by and check it out.
Continue Reading Check Out New Artwork at Well Child Center!
