WIC appointments are available by phone, video, online, and in-person. [Learn More](https://www.phfewic.org/wic-appointment-options/)
WIC appointments are available by phone, video, online, and in-person. [Learn More](https://www.phfewic.org/wic-appointment-options/)
Las citas de WIC están disponibles por teléfono, video, en línea y en persona. [Más información](https://www.phfewic.org/es/citas-flexibles-de-wic-para-familias-ocupadas/)
Las citas de WIC están disponibles por teléfono, video, en línea y en persona. [Más información](https://www.phfewic.org/es/citas-flexibles-de-wic-para-familias-ocupadas/)
A new study by Heluna Health’s PHFE WIC research and evaluation team and colleagues at the Center for Health Research, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo published in Pediatric Obesity found that promotion of responsive bottle-feeding is an effective way to support WIC parents and reduce the risk of overfeeding and excess weight gain.
Many parents think that crying is always a sign of hunger, and are quick to use feeding to soothing a fussy baby. For this reason, fussier babies tend to be at a higher risk for over-feeding. Parents enrolled in the WIC program receive education that helps prevent this. During pregnancy, WIC participants learn about baby behavior, sleeping patterns, hunger and fullness cues, non-hunger cues, and soothing techniques so they can recognize the difference between signs of over-stimulation, tiredness, and hunger once their baby is born. WIC also teaches parents to feed their babies when they show the earliest signs of hunger, and be responsive to signs of satiation or fullness. This empowers parents to be responsive to their baby’s needs and reduces the risk of over-feeding.
Update as of March 15, 2022: Congress has reached a bipartisan agreement to extend funding for the WIC benefit bump through September 2022! Read more.
The “WIC benefit bump” which increased the monthly fruit and vegetables benefit for children by about $15 per month, and adults by $30+ per month, remains in place until March 31, 2022. Congress announced a short-term funding extension in February 2022, pushing the Continuing Resolution deadline to March 11, 2022. WIC fruit and vegetable benefits will revert back to $9-11 per month on April 1, unless Congress acts quickly to pass an omnibus.
The “WIC benefit bump” which increased the monthly fruit and vegetables benefit for children by about $15 per month, and adults by $30+ per month, remains in place until March 31, 2022. Congress announced a short-term funding extension in February 2022, pushing the Continuing Resolution deadline to March 11, 2022. WIC fruit and vegetable benefits will revert back to $9-11 per month on April 1, unless Congress acts quickly to pass an omnibus.
Your voice makes a difference to ensure that the WIC benefit bump is extended through September 2022 and beyond. Tell Congress to #ExtendTheWICBump for the millions of families that depend on WIC before the March 11 deadline.
PHFE WIC’s Obama WIC office in Los Angeles hosted Brian Dittmeier, Senior Director of Public Policy at the National WIC Association, and local anti-hunger advocates on February 24 to call attention to the urgent need for the extension of the WIC benefit bump. Speakers and supporters were in attendance from Hunger Action Los Angeles-HALA, Black Infant Health, The Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Initiative, Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEELA), local grocers, farmers markets.
Anti-hunger advocates from WIC, HALA, Black Infant Health, SEELA, AAIMM, and local grocers and farmers markets say “Extend the Bump!”
“When the American Rescue Plan Act was introduced, WIC got a dramatic boost in its cash value benefit. Overnight, [WIC] families realized the amazing array of fruits and vegetables they could now afford to buy” said Kiran Saluja, Executive Director of PHFE WIC, a program of Heluna Health. The increased benefit led to an immediate increase in the purchasing and consumption of vegetables and fruit by WIC participants. Research from the National WIC Association and the National Policy Institute showed that children’s daily fruit and vegetable consumption immediately increased by 1/4 cup when their families received the increased WIC benefit amount. Additionally, 14% of WIC participants surveyed said they would be unlikely to continue participating in WIC if the food benefit levels were to decrease.
“We have not kept pace with inflation. If we had, the WIC benefit would be about $100 per month.“
– Brian Dittmeier, National WIC Association
93% of WIC participants surveyed said that $9 per month is insufficient.
With food costs rising in 2022, the purchasing power of $9 is shrinking.
#ExtendtheBump Press Conference Highlights
WIC Participant Testimonials
The increase to WIC benefits have impacted millions of families lives nationwide. Share your story on social media using the Hashtag #ExtendtheWICBump!
A new study by Heluna Health’s PHFE WIC research and evaluation team and colleagues at the Center for Health Research, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo published in Pediatric Obesity found that promotion of responsive bottle-feeding is an effective way to support WIC parents and reduce the risk of overfeeding and excess weight gain.
Many parents think that crying is always a sign of hunger, and are quick to use feeding to soothing a fussy baby. For this reason, fussier babies tend to be at a higher risk for over-feeding. Parents enrolled in the WIC program receive education that helps prevent this. During pregnancy, WIC participants learn about baby behavior, sleeping patterns, hunger and fullness cues, non-hunger cues, and soothing techniques so they can recognize the difference between signs of over-stimulation, tiredness, and hunger once their baby is born. WIC also teaches parents to feed their babies when they show the earliest signs of hunger, and be responsive to signs of satiation or fullness. This empowers parents to be responsive to their baby’s needs and reduces the risk of over-feeding.
Update as of March 15, 2022: Congress has reached a bipartisan agreement to extend funding for the WIC benefit bump through September 2022! Read more.
The “WIC benefit bump” which increased the monthly fruit and vegetables benefit for children by about $15 per month, and adults by $30+ per month, remains in place until March 31, 2022. Congress announced a short-term funding extension in February 2022, pushing the Continuing Resolution deadline to March 11, 2022. WIC fruit and vegetable benefits will revert back to $9-11 per month on April 1, unless Congress acts quickly to pass an omnibus.
The “WIC benefit bump” which increased the monthly fruit and vegetables benefit for children by about $15 per month, and adults by $30+ per month, remains in place until March 31, 2022. Congress announced a short-term funding extension in February 2022, pushing the Continuing Resolution deadline to March 11, 2022. WIC fruit and vegetable benefits will revert back to $9-11 per month on April 1, unless Congress acts quickly to pass an omnibus.
Your voice makes a difference to ensure that the WIC benefit bump is extended through September 2022 and beyond. Tell Congress to #ExtendTheWICBump for the millions of families that depend on WIC before the March 11 deadline.
PHFE WIC’s Obama WIC office in Los Angeles hosted Brian Dittmeier, Senior Director of Public Policy at the National WIC Association, and local anti-hunger advocates on February 24 to call attention to the urgent need for the extension of the WIC benefit bump. Speakers and supporters were in attendance from Hunger Action Los Angeles-HALA, Black Infant Health, The Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Initiative, Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEELA), local grocers, farmers markets.
Anti-hunger advocates from WIC, HALA, Black Infant Health, SEELA, AAIMM, and local grocers and farmers markets say “Extend the Bump!”
“When the American Rescue Plan Act was introduced, WIC got a dramatic boost in its cash value benefit. Overnight, [WIC] families realized the amazing array of fruits and vegetables they could now afford to buy” said Kiran Saluja, Executive Director of PHFE WIC, a program of Heluna Health. The increased benefit led to an immediate increase in the purchasing and consumption of vegetables and fruit by WIC participants. Research from the National WIC Association and the National Policy Institute showed that children’s daily fruit and vegetable consumption immediately increased by 1/4 cup when their families received the increased WIC benefit amount. Additionally, 14% of WIC participants surveyed said they would be unlikely to continue participating in WIC if the food benefit levels were to decrease.
“We have not kept pace with inflation. If we had, the WIC benefit would be about $100 per month.“
– Brian Dittmeier, National WIC Association
93% of WIC participants surveyed said that $9 per month is insufficient.
With food costs rising in 2022, the purchasing power of $9 is shrinking.
#ExtendtheBump Press Conference Highlights
WIC Participant Testimonials
The increase to WIC benefits have impacted millions of families lives nationwide. Share your story on social media using the Hashtag #ExtendtheWICBump!
