Women, Infants, and Children Fall Victim to Shutdown
Raleigh, NC – The federal government shutdown has put a temporary halt to the WIC Program – the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, according to NC Secretary of Health and Human Services Aldona Wos.
DHHS says federal funds are sufficient to cover the WIC vouchers already issued, but additional vouchers will not be issued. The department says it is working with the federal government to identify funding to keep local WIC clinics open, though some staff furloughs may occur.
Current recipients should keep their nutrition appointments and continue redeeming October vouchers, and the state’s 2,000 WIC vendors should continue accepting existing vouchers. In the interim, DHHS encourages families impacted by this change to apply for North Carolina’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps). Local WIC staff may also refer clients to food banks and pantries.
The WIC Program is 100% federally funded. During September, the program provided supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for almost 264,000 women, infants and young children in North Carolina.
WIC spends almost $16.6 million per month across the state; loss of that money will cost food vendors around the state an average of $8,300 per month.
