Lifting Up Your WIC Voice During this Uncertain Time
Three weeks after the November 8th election, many of us are still feeling shocked, anxious, uncertain, and even fearful about the future of our country. The new political landscape that we will face in 2017 is likely to have significant implications for WIC, but we do not know at this point exactly what those implications will be.
During this time of uncertainty, you may be wondering how you can get involved in the effort to protect and preserve WIC. As new policymakers prepare to take office, and as incumbent officials begin to develop their strategy for 2017, now is a great time to get out and educate your legislators about the importance of WIC. Educating local, state, and national policymakers about WIC can help ensure that WIC continues to be a public health priority for members of both parties. Effective WIC education of legislators has helped fight off hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to the program and unfavorable policies over the past two decades.
If you are wondering about how to go about educating policymakers, what your key messages should be, or how to get in touch with elected officials, please visit NWA’s Your WIC Voice Toolkit. For representatives and senators who were recently elected and have not yet taken office, you can find their contact information on their campaign websites. If you have more specific questions about lifting up your WIC voice during this transition time, please email Elisabet at eeppes@nwica.org.
We at the National WIC Association are still working with our members, national partners, and friends in Congress to determine what our 2017 WIC advocacy strategy will be. We will continue to advocate for strong WIC policies during the last couple of months of the Obama Administration and 114th Congress, and we will be actively engaged from the outset of the new Trump Administration and 115th Congress. In the next few weeks and months, as we gain greater clarity around potential next steps and opportunities for organizational and individual engagement, we will keep you informed.