¡Un nuevo informe insta al USDA a aumentar los beneficios de WIC de forma Permanente!

El 11 de junio, la Asociación Nacional de WIC (NWA) publicó un informe titulado El paquete de alimentos de WIC: Impactos y recomendaciones para promover la seguridad nutricional. El informe proporciona al Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) las recomendaciones de la NWA para un paquete de alimentos WIC mejorado. El USDA planea reevaluar los paquetes de alimentos de WIC en el año fiscal 2022.

Aspectos destacados de las recomendaciones de NWA

  • Aumentar el beneficio de valor en efectivo (CVB) en todos los paquetes de alimentos para niños y adultos.
  • Permitir sustituciones de alternativas no lácteas que cumplan con los requisitos de nutrientes.
  • Permitir sustituciones por alergias, sensibilidades, dietas vegetarianas y veganas.

Haga clic aquí para leer el reporte completo en Inglés

El reverendo Douglas Greenaway, presidente y director ejecutivo de la Asociación Nacional WIC (NWA), emitió la siguiente declaración en Inglés:

“The WIC food package is the carrot that brings moms, their babies, and young children to WIC. There, they find nutrition professionals who deliver invaluable nutrition supports and connect them to crucial health care and social services. Together, these supports save America and American taxpayers valuable healthcare dollars to the tune of $2.48 for every dollar invested in WIC. Where else can you get that kind of a return? But the carrot is no longer enough. To make the juice worth the squeeze, families need a whole basket of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, eggs, and other healthy foods. Now is the time to make meaningful investment in the best hook to get more moms and their families into WIC – doubling the value of the WIC food package.

President Biden’s fiscal year 2022 federal budget doubles down on the Administration’s ongoing commitment to building nutrition security, starting with the nutrition needs of the pregnant and postpartum women, babies, and young children served by WIC. The American Rescue Plan Act’s temporary expansion of the value of the WIC food benefit has brought historic investment in access to healthy foods for WIC families this summer, and NWA wholeheartedly supports the White House’s proposed extension of this increase through fiscal year 2022. Still, the bumped up fruit and vegetable benefit needs to continue long after the shadow of COVID-19 is gone. Enhancing WIC access and benefits are the most straightforward steps to building stronger nutrition security for millions of families. “With increased investment, NWA is confident that doubling WIC’s food benefit will bring more families closer to the nutrient recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans – a critical step to further reduce rates of childhood obesity, bring down healthcare costs, and set up our children for future life success. This report and its recommendations point policymakers toward real solutions to expanding the value of the food package, ensuring that WIC families get real value for their efforts, and that America gets the full bang for investing in WIC families.”