The authority to grant these waivers to the WIC program is the result of the passing of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act which passed in March. USDA’s FNS has approved several waivers to WIC program guidelines to ensure continued access, while adhering to CDC safety recommendations to protect both WIC employees and participants. This includes the way that government programs, like WIC, have had to change their operations. The COVID19 crisis has shifted how many of us complete day-to-day activities. Throughout the pandemic, employees of the WIC program continue to work to ensure these families have access to healthy foods.
Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, many people are now unemployed or furloughed which makes it challenging for some families to keep food on the table. Programs like WIC are essential in ensuring families experiencing food insecurity have additional resources and access to nutritious foods each month. Participation in the program is income-based and allows participants to receive supplemental monthly food benefits, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and community referrals to other assistance programs. Currently, there are over 6 million people enrolled in the WIC program and nearly half of all infants in the US are enrolled. The WIC program serves pregnant or postpartum women, infants, and children under the age of five.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly referred to as “WIC”, is a federal nutrition program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS).
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