This article is largely based on the op-ed first appearing in City and State. Included here are additional comments from PA WIC.
The US Department of Agriculture recently warned that a program which helps millions of families across the country access healthy food and nutrition services could face a $1 billion shortfall if Congress fails to act, forcing aid for millions of pregnant women, new mothers and their children to be delayed or denied.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, is a federally-funded program, administered by the states, that dates back half a century. WIC is founded on three pillars of support: Nutritious food packages, education and empowerment, and healthcare access. Its mission is to promote the health and wellbeing of low-income pregnant women, new mothers, breastfeeding mothers, infants, and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk.
As for Pennsylvania, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed their commitment to ensuring that Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants, which include the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents, have access to safe food products, that the products are available when WIC participants go to the store, and the prices are competitive in comparison to non-WIC participating stores.
To combat a decision either way from Congress, Pennsylvania told us that they have added three new WIC mobile units to reach more women, infants, and children in underserved areas with the resources they need closer to home. Each WIC Mobile Unit is customized to operate as a fully functional WIC satellite clinic that will reach both rural and urban areas and will help meet the needs of people facing transportation barriers. The fleet of clinics on wheels is increasing participation in the WIC program, delivering greater access and equity throughout Pennsylvania. The PA DOH plans to add additional mobile units in the coming months.
Through partnerships with food retailers and healthcare professionals, each month WIC provides services to millions of people from these vulnerable populations, including nearly 40 percent of all babies born in the United States. The program serves as a critical lifeline during the most important stages of development for young children, and during a period when proper nutrition and care for mothers is essential.
Participation cuts across geographic and ethnic divides, fostering a cycle of wellness that benefits not only the families involved, but their communities, local economies, and states as a whole. In recent years, as food insecurity has increased, so too has WIC usage.
In Pennsylvania, nearly 10 percent of all children under the age of five are part of the WIC program. In January Pennsylvania’s WIC program participation increased to more than 179,000 participants, up 2,000 from December and more than 20,000 from the same time last year.
Meeting this need are more than 1,300 WIC-authorized food retail locations across Pennsylvania. Participating businesses range from large supermarket chains to small,independent grocers. But whether large or small the level of commitment is the same, and so are the requirements. A retailer must go through a comprehensive application process that involves a thorough review, completion of a training program as well as ongoing requirements related to stocking levels, recordkeeping, and reporting.
Pennsylvania officials from the Department of Health let us know that, in 2023, the Health Department also established a new vendor training process on its WIC Vendor Assistant portal and hosted local and statewide vendor trainings. In all, a total of 78 training sessions were held, with 1,243 vendors participating. Vendor Assistant provides retail store alerts that relay key program information and foster better communications with vendors.
They also said that the DOH is continually working to identify new ways to expand vendor participation and is exploring funding opportunities for grocery stores where investing in the equipment to participate in eWIC could be a barrier to participation.
For decades Congress has recognized the importance of the WIC program and fully funded it on a bipartisan basis. Failing to do so now would signal that our priorities have shifted, and that this country no is no longer committed to serving every eligible mother or child in need.
The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, an organization representing businesses up and down the food supply chain in the Commonwealth, believes strongly in the value of good nutrition, and ensuring that families have access to healthy food, infant formula and other essentials. Our member retailers are proud to partner with the Pennsylvania WIC ORice and other agencies to help families in need.
Anyone with children knows, at an instinctive level, just what a diference a nutritious meal can make. It is vital that Congress maintain its longstanding commitment to this important program.
