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如果攜家帶眷一起到美國唸書的話，直接在美國生小孩或是把小孩帶到美國受幾年的英語教育都是一件非常好的事情。充分利用身在美國的資源，反而意外收穫會更多。美國對於低收入戶的育兒福利做的非常的好，從之前懷孕的營養補助，到出生後的小孩食物補給，還有托兒所、幼稚園、小學、國中、高中的基本教育幾乎是完全免費。由於我們是外國留學生，在美國除了在校內工作外，無法合法在校外工作，因此大部分的留學生的收入都歸零；即使在校內有TA或RA的工作，也都是在低收入戶的範圍內，一定是在補助的名單當中。千萬不要認為被視為低收入戶很可憐，或是自認為我們是外國人而不好意思享受這些福利，其實只要在補助的範圍內，美國的社福團體的人員都是非常歡迎我們去申請的。而學生們之間也有著報好康的心情，大家都會互相告知，一起享用這些資源。 |
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1.WIC
Program |
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【組織】 |
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 全名叫作”Women,
Infants,
Children
Program”，是美國聯邦政府的一個組織，目的在於補充低收入的家庭裡的婦女、嬰兒、5歲以下的孩童的營養，提供所需食物補助。以下是對於WIC
Program的一個英文描述：
The Special
Supplemental
Nutrition
Program for
Women, Infants,
and Children -
better known as
the WIC Program
- serves to
safeguard the
health of
low-income
women, infants,
& children up to
age 5 who are at
nutritional risk
by providing
nutritious foods
to supplement
diets,
information on
healthy eating,
and referrals to
health care.
This website is maintained by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS),
a Federal agency
of the U.S.
Department of
Agriculture,
responsible for
administering
the WIC Program
at the national
and regional
levels. |
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【申請程序】 |
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 如果巳經懷孕，在得知懷孕的一開始，即可提出申請立即獲得補助。只須攜帶醫院開出的懷孕證明，至WIC的服務中心面試即可(面試須要事先預約)。在面試時，WIC的人員會詢問你一些基本的飲食習慣，了解你的營養需求，然後測量你的身高、體重，如果沒有特殊問題的話，中心人員會馬上核發一張Golden
Card，以及約3個月的食物支票給你。憑此食物支票和卡片即可到指定的超市兌換食物。食物的品牌和份量、種類都是被規定好的，在購買時記得攜帶說明書作為參考，才不至於拿到不符合補助範圍內的食品。在結帳前必須事先向櫃台人員聲明是WIC所補助的食品，店員會在支票上填好價格，你只須在支票上簽名後，支票讓店員回收即可。支票有日期限定，3個月支票都使用完畢後可再到WIC中心支領另外3個月份的。 |
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【補助的食品】 |
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食物一般是以補充蛋白質、鈣、鐵、維生素A和C為主。指定的食品有牛奶、花生醬、優酪、果汁、起士、早餐麥片等等。基本的食物巳經是規定好的，能選擇的只有份量的搭配而巳，例如多一點牛奶，少一點起士，或是少一點牛奶，多一點起士等等。 |
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【組織】 |
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這個組織並非每個鎮都有，視鎮的福利和支援的多寡。它的目的在於讓父母學習如何當最好的父母，提供為人父母間的交流，增加小孩間的相處時間，提供文化學習機會等等。以下是麻州安城的Family
Center的一段英文介紹：
AMHERST
FAMILY CENTER
A great, free program in Amherst for families with young children!
Welcome to the Amherst Family Center, helping people be the best parents
they can be.
We have toys, books, and furnishings for children and resources for
parents. You can
meet and talk
with other
parents and
share
information &
ideas about the
joys and
stresses of
parenting. You
can play and
learn with your
child. We offer
you parenting
education,
related support
services, family
literacy, access
to information
and resources,
and cultural
activities.
The Amherst
Family Center is
based on the
idea that all
families,
regardless of
economic class,
race or level of
education, can
benefit from
information
about child
development and
healthy
approaches to
parenting as
well as
opportunities to
develop
supportive
friendships
Our programs are
offered on the
UMass Amherst
campus and in
Amherst Center.
These services
are free and
available to all
families in the
Amherst area
with children
under the age of
five.
We offer: •
Great
opportunities to
meet other
families • A
safe, enriching
and supportive
space for
families with
babies,
toddlers, and
preschoolers •
Morning drop-in
hours for
parents,
guardians,
grandparents and
their children
with warm,
friendly,
professionally-staffed
play rooms for
children •
Parenting skill
building
programs and
support groups •
Interactive
cultural events
The Family
Center is
located in
downtown
Amherst, through
the back door of
Unitarian
Meetinghouse –
121 North
Pleasant Street.
The center is
open for any
family with
children under
years old to
just drop by on
Tuesday,
Wednesday and
Thursday
mornings
9:30am-12pm.
Call 256-1145
for more
information. |
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【參加程序】 |
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並不須要特別的報名程序，也不須預約，只須帶著小孩到Family Center參加活動即可。裡面的大哥哥、大姐姐們會和小朋友玩，主動帶領小朋友認識其他小朋友，也會和父母親們交流。即使英文不夠流利，也不用太擔心，小朋友間的交流是不須要語言的。Family Center會提供簡單的午餐，有湯、麵包、麵等等。 |
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【支援提供】 |
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以下是Family
Center所提供的行程活動範例：
The Family
Center’s general
offerings
include: Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday 9:30am
- Noon Staffed
Playrooms for
families to
enjoy together,
or for children
to enjoy while
parents meet
other parents,
take a break,
have a snack,
attend a support
group or
educational
program, study,
use a computer,
or just relax.
Tuesday 9:45am –
11:15am Signing
With Your Baby –
3rd Tuesday of
the month
Tuesday
7:00pm-8:30pm
Three
Generations
Support group
for grandparents
who are sharing
their homes with
their children
and
grandchildren.
Call to
pre-register.
Wednesday 9:45am
–11:30am Mother
Women Support
Group: Always
open to new
participants.
Wednesday 6:30pm
– 8:00pm Parents
Helping Parents
Support Group
Call to
pre-register.
Thursday 9:45 am
– 11:15 am
Parenting
Education
Presentation –
3rd Thursday of
each month Each
week a parent
educator from
Project
Goodstart is
available to
answer parents
questions.
Thursday 10:00am
- 11:15am Dads
Group – 2nd
Thursday of the
month
Thursday 4:30pm
– 6:30pm Young
Parent
Gatherings: A
chance for young
families to
enjoy the Family
Center space
with other young
parents or take
part in a
facilitated
support group
just for young
parents.
Friday 9:30am –
11:30am Parent
Education and
Parent – Child
Literacy Program
for Adult
English Language
Learners. |
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這也是由鎮政府和學校一起發起的活動。每個禮拜一的晚上，在學校的禮堂裡準備小朋友和父母的晚餐，以及各種小朋友間的活動，由專業的老師帶領。有小孩的父母都可以免費參加。但並非所有的鎮都提供這些資源，必須視鎮上資源而定。 |
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TOEFL(iBT) / IELTS