Impending Threats to SNAP and WIC Programs – Benefits at Risk

Impending Threats to SNAP and WIC Programs – Benefits at Risk.The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has recently undergone substantial alterations, leaving its future uncertain.

WIC Program Also in Peril

Now, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), designed to ensure access to nutritious food for low-income pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, infants, and young children, faces potential jeopardy.

Cuts Loom Over WIC

Analysts from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) have estimated that proposed cuts to the WIC program in the House’s appropriations bill could significantly impact beneficiaries.

Potential Reductions in Benefits

These proposed cuts are projected to affect 1.5 million mothers and 3.5 million children, as reported by Civil Eats. The White House has informed Congress that the program is already facing a shortfall of $1.4 billion, possibly leading to waiting lists.

WIC Prepares for Waiting Lists

Kate Franken, board chair of the National WIC Association, has mentioned that the program is preparing for waiting lists, which haven’t been necessary in three decades.

Bipartisan Support for WIC

Unlike SNAP, Civil Eats highlights that WIC has consistently enjoyed bipartisan support. Since President Biden assumed office, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has prioritized WIC as a cornerstone of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s focus on “nutrition security.”

Funding Shortfall

The CBPP reveals that the appropriations bill could allocate $800 million less to WIC than what the President’s fiscal year 2024 budget requested. This reduction comes at a time when WIC’s funding requirements have surged due to increased participation and rising food costs.

Rising Enrollment

Civil Eats reported an approximately 8% increase in monthly enrollment from May 2021 to May 2023, from 6.2 to 6.7 million people.

Critical Impact of WIC

Despite offering an average monthly benefit of under $68 per participant, more than half of low- and middle-income families surveyed by Civil Eats stated that they would be unable to afford sufficient food or formula without WIC benefits.