All content tagged with the term "state-spotlight".
September 28, 2020 -
News & Blog
Nevada WIC worked with their health department, legislators, and advocates to develop a plan for WIC online ordering to maintain WIC participation and create a more equitable shopping experience for WIC families. With a unified coalition and champions in leadership across state agencies, Nevada WIC was able to tap into a portion of CARES Act funding to support home delivery for WIC food items. Nevada WIC has showcased the significant success that comes from working in partnership towards common goals – increasing access to WIC while also protecting WIC families from increased exposure to COVID-19.
August 31, 2020 -
News & Blog
Nationwide WIC providers have stepped up with innovative strategies to support families with accessing WIC’s vital nutrition support and breastfeeding counseling. Many WIC providers have had to safely increase their outreach in the community and online to meet the increasing number of families eligible for WIC due to the pandemic. In 2018, Colorado WIC launched an online referral form, which has only become even more helpful throughout the pandemic. In April 2020, WIC online referrals increased by 85%. Colorado WIC Director Heidi Hoffman appreciates staff and community partners, “for their willingness to try new ideas to better serve our families and provide more families with WIC services.”
August 17, 2020 -
News & Blog
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant job and income loss for families across the nation. Programs like WIC have served as a safety net for an increasing number of newly eligible families. New Hampshire WIC in particular has seen an average increase of 12% in WIC participation.
August 10, 2020 -
News & Blog
This pandemic has wedged physical distance between families and their support systems, posing significant challenges for new mothers who are navigating parenthood. However, South Carolina’s Breastfeeding Peer Counselors and IBCLCs have found creative ways to connect and support new WIC moms throughout the pandemic. South Carolina’s WIC Director, Berry Kelly applauds the entire SC WIC team and states that "our team has ensured that WIC has remained a steady, consistent nutritional and public health support for mothers, babies, and children."
August 3, 2020 -
News & Blog
Oregon WIC has made it a priority to support, work with, and hear from local WIC providers through the pandemic. Local WIC providers in Oregon have raised the importance of ensuring that decision-making in WIC be grounded in an equity framework, highlighting the need for Congress to extend USDA’s waiver authority for WIC. Tiare Sanna, Oregon’s WIC Director, says that Oregon WIC will "support implementation of remote service in order to prevent undue risk to participants and staff, as long as waivers are granted."
July 27, 2020 -
News & Blog
Since March, WIC providers have been able to offer remote services to reduce exposure and minimize the risk of COVID-19 for participants and clinic staff. Nebraska is now moving toward its fourth phase of reopening, where social distancing is now considered a recommendation, not a requirement.
July 20, 2020 -
News & Blog
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WIC providers in New Mexico put their creativity to the test with the implementation of their new "curbside" clinic service. When stay-at-home orders were announced in New Mexico in March 2020, state WIC director Sarah Flores-Sievers had to quickly transition the way WIC provides nutrition and public health services to families