Congress passed a bill last Thursday to avoid a government shutdown, but their new continuing resolution does not provide full funding for WIC, federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Since the first WIC clinic opened 50 years ago this month in 1974, the national program has become a lifeline during the prenatal, birth, early childhood, and postpartum periods for many families across Colorado and the nation. The USDA reports that more than half of all infants in the United States benefit from WIC.
If the program’s funding is not increased in 2024, too many infants, young children, and new and expecting parents will be turned away and miss out on targeted nutrition interventions and vital healthcare – and need to rely upon already overburdened food pantries and food banks.
Learn what else is at stake for Colorado families and communities by reading our recent guest column in The Colorado Springs Gazette.
What can you do to help protect WIC in the federal budget? Use our talking points and script, and call the offices of your U.S. representative and senators. We also encourage you to send a message to them through Hunger Free Colorado’s action center.
