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WIC News You Can Use for Families Who Are Pregnant or Caring for Young Children

 

WIC Flexibilities Renewed Through Mid-April

With the recent national extension of the public health emergency, WIC flexibilities are now in place until at least mid-April. For New York, WIC agencies are allowed to issue benefits remotely so participants don’t have to pick up their WIC benefits in person. Participants may enroll or re-enroll in WIC without visiting a clinic in person and postpone certain medical tests. Specifically, clinics may serve participants remotely via telephone, text or videoconference, and remotely load WIC benefits onto eWIC cards.

Please visit our COVID-19 page for background and policy links.

 

Benefit Boost for Fruits and Veggies

WIC's cash value benefit (CVB) increase has been extended through the end of December. Most WIC moms and kids will automatically get $24-47/month each on their eWIC card to buy fruits and veggies—that's 3-4 times more than before June and now set at 50 percent of recommended intake based on the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) guidance, resulting in monthly CVB benefits of:

  • $24 for children,
  • $43 for pregnant and postpartum participants,
  • $47 for breastfeeding participants, and
  • $70.50 for participants fully breastfeeding multiple infants.

Please visit our COVID-19 page for background and policy links.

Toddler Eating Pear

Help Spread the Word and Connect More Families to WIC

We have made it easy for community partners to help spread the word about the boosted benefits to current and potential WIC participants. Visit the WIC Help New York Resource Center to find short eNews articles, social media posts, and graphics like the images included in this email.

You can use other materials in the WIC Help New York Resource Center to promote WIC services to families who may be eligible. NYS WIC has served over 360,000 pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children under age 5 all through the COVID-19 pandemic, yet reaches less than 50 percent of potentially eligible New Yorkers. With remote services, eWIC, the WIC2Go app, and Wanda—the new virtual WIC assistant—it's easier than ever to participate and apply. Wanda is available online 24/7 to help prescreen potential clients, answer questions, and provide referrals to local WIC clinics.

Extending Boosted Benefits into 2022

YOU have power to help extend these temporarily boosted fruit and veggie benefits into 2022. Contact Misha Marvel, Child Nutrition Programs Specialist, or reply to this email with what county you serve and what you are hearing from WIC participants about the increased fruits/veggies. We are sharing examples with elected officials, such as this from a mom of a 2- and 4-year-old:

“I am writing to say how much we LOVE the extended benefits for fruits and vegetables!! These benefits help us provide our children with the freshest fruits and vegetables possible! Being able to afford these for them is the greatest feeling and I thank you so much.

"With the increase we have been able to buy much more than we could before. My kids get to enjoy what they love, being healthy, and they get to try new things. I would love for these benefits to continue. There is nothing more important than healthy eating.

"They love walking through the produce area to pick out what they want. My almost 4-year-old insisted I buy eggplant one week so we made eggplant parm. The joy they get from being able to see and pick their own fruits and veggies makes me so happy. Being able to buy a variety is so important.”

 

 

Hunger Solutions New York
14 Computer Drive East | Albany, New York 12205
518-436-8757 | info@hungersolutionsny.org

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