First Focus Campaign for Children sent the following letter to the lead sponsors of the Wise Investment in Children (WIC) Act (H.R. 6811|S. 2358) in support of the legislation, which would make the WIC program accessible to even more people by extending eligibility through the age of 6, extending the certification period for two years, and extending post-partum eligibility to two years for all mothers.
Excerpt from the letter:
For over 40 years, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been improving the nutrition and health of low-income mothers and babies, serving 7.2 million people in 2017. Extensive research has shown that WIC improves birth outcomes, reduces infant mortality, supports better infant and young children feeding practices, and improves cognitive development and academic achievement. Ensuring that young children have proper nutrition in utero and the first years of life is paramount. Proper nutrition has been called the “single greatest environmental influence on babies,” making WIC an extremely important program for low-income individuals.