John,

If Congress doesn’t act fast, millions of mothers and young children will lose essential food assistance. Just look at this New York Times headline from this week:

The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has received 25 years of bipartisan support to fully fund the program to serve every eligible applicant who applies. But now WIC needs $1 billion more, and if Congress doesn’t provide it, 2 million young children and mothers will be turned away later this year.¹

WIC costs have greatly increased over the past year due to increased enrollment and the rising price of groceries.

Congress has indicated that the Department of Agriculture and states should spend current WIC funding at a fast rate in order to serve every eligible applicant through March 2024―the first half of the fiscal year.² The problem is that Congress has not committed to fully funding the program once current resources run out. If Congress continues to fund WIC at the current, lower rate, it will create a shortfall of $1 billion―and that will mean waiting lists to get WIC food aid. USDA says that 810,000 people (pregnant and postpartum parents, infants and young children) apply for WIC each month. They’ll have to wait.³ Without enough funds, those denied help will add up to 2 million over time.

We cannot allow vulnerable women, infants and children to go hungry in the richest country on earth. For the past 25 years, members of both parties have come together to ensure that no one who applies for WIC is turned away. It’s time for Congress to get back to that tradition.

Donate $5 today to help us keep the pressure on Congress to ensure that WIC is fully funded for the remainder of the year.

The result of underfunding WIC would lead to negative pregnancy-related and child health outcomes. Early access to healthy and nutritious food is critical for both fetal and child development. Access to WIC is associated with healthier birth rates, lower risk of infant death, and improved child cognitive function and overall health.⁴ Out of all wealthy nations, the U.S. had the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in 2020,⁵ so slashing a program that improves outcomes is reckless.

Thousands of you have signed petitions, sent letters to Congress, and called your representatives in support of fully funding WIC. Now, with only a week left for Congress to keep funding going or to fail and shut part of the federal government down, your help is more critical than ever.

Donate $5 today so we can continue our advocacy efforts and push Congress to fully fund WIC so that families won’t have to go on waiting lists.

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Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ About 2 Million Parents and Young Children Could Be Turned Away From WIC by September Without Full Funding
² Food Assistance for Mothers and Children Faces Funding Shortfall
³ Following Topline Budget Agreement, Congress Must Act to Fully Fund WIC in 2024
⁴ About WIC: How WIC Helps
⁵ US Has Highest Infant, Maternal Mortality Rates Despite the Most Health Care Spending