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Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

General WIC Information | "Time for a Change" Toolkit

WIC is a preventive program providing low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children with nutritious foods, nutrition education, and improved access to health care in order to prevent nutrition-related health problems in pregnancy, infancy and early childhood. The creation of WIC in 1974 was one response to the realization that hunger and poverty were widespread in this country and that inadequate nutrition poses real dangers to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children. Today, WIC serves over 8.5 million women, infants and children.

To find a local WIC clinic in your state, click here for a list of toll-free numbers to call, on USDA's Food & Nutrition Service Web site.

USDA Issues Healthy WIC Food Package: It is Time for a Change, You Made It Happen! The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued their regulations for the new and improved WIC food packages. The new WIC food packages improve the health and nutritional quality of the foods in the program, increase participants’ choices, and expand cultural food options by offering fruits and vegetables, whole grain bread (with the option to substitute whole grain tortillas, rice or other grains) and the option of soymilk and tofu. Click here for FRAC's statement on the WIC Healthy Food Package.

	"Time for a Change" New WIC Food Package Toolkit

New WIC Food Package Basic Information | State Advisory Councils
New WIC Foods Tools | WIC Participant Surveys
USDA Information | Additional Resources

This toolkit provides tools, information and resources to help you work effectively to maximize the value of the new WIC food package in your city or state. The new WIC food package has the potential to play a vitally important role in helping state and local efforts to:

• Create healthy low-income communities and reducing overweight and obesity,
• Open up access to healthy foods in low-income communities, and
• Protect families and children from food insecurity.

The current focus of the toolkit is on the first stages of the planning process for implementing the new food package. As the WIC food package planning and implementation process moves forward additional tools and resources will be added to the toolkit. Check back for updates.

Toolkit contact: Geri Henchy, ghenchy@frac.org, (202) 986-2200 x3025.

• FRAC Statement on the New Food Package
• The New WIC Food Package Regulations/Federal Register Notice
• State WIC agency contact information and other useful USDA materials.

WIC advisory councils can help ensure the success of the new WIC food package by bringing a diversity of voices and support to the food package planning and implementation process.

WIC advisory councils fact sheet (pdf)

• WIC Advisory Board members and mission

• Nutrition Advisory Council
• Meeting materials: invitation letter, agenda, invitees

• Purpose
• Member roles
• Meeting agenda (2/23/09)
• Welcome letter

• WIC Program Advisory Committee procedures
• WIC Food Package Implementation handout

• Time for a Change Guide: Maximizing the Benefits of the New WIC Foods for Immigrant Families (pdf)
• Fruits and Vegetables Will Support Good Health and Healthy Communities (pdf)
• Farmers' Markets Can Play a Key Role in Providing Fruits and Vegetables (pdf)
• Dollar Value of the New WIC Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers by State (pdf)
• Benefits in New York State's WIC Fruit and Vegetable Demonstration Project Report (pdf)
• Journal article on the Fruit and Vegetable Pilot in the Public Health Foundation WIC Program (pdf)
• New Food Choices 2009: Building Community Partnerships - a PowerPoint presentation to help educate and facilitate discussion for food package planning.
• The Impact of Food Price Variation on WIC Food Costs (pdf)

Surveys to establish WIC participant preferences, attitudes, and shopping and consumption habits as they relate to the new foods and food package changes will be key to an effective planning and implementation process.

• New Hampshire WIC Agency New WIC Foods Survey (pdf)
• Washington State WIC comments page
• DC WIC Agency New WIC Foods Survey (pdf)
• Oregon State WIC Agency Soy Survey | Spanish Version
• Hawaii State WIC Agency New WIC Foods Survey
• California State WIC Agency WIC Survey | Survey Results
• Guam WIC Agency New WIC Food Package Survey

• Background information on revisions to the WIC Food Package
• Federal Register Notice (published 12/6/07) (PDF)
• Interim Rule
• Manufacturer's Frequently Asked Questions
• Frequently Asked WIC Food Package Questions
• WIC Works Resource Center: Full range of educational and promotional materials for State WIC Agencies.

National WIC Association
California WIC Association
California State WIC Wellness Journal: An Integral Component of their New WIC Food Package Implementation Plan
Healthy Corner Stores Network

Additional Resources:

Factsheets on Child Nutrition Programs School Breakfast  |  School Lunch  |  Afterschool  |  Summer Food Women, Infants, and Children  |  Child and Adult Care Food Program