Congress Must Act by March 11 to Extend WIC Benefit Bump

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.

“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.

#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!