More than 6.3 million people, including about half of all infants born in the United States, access the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). WIC helps low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 achieve and maintain a healthy weight by providing healthy foods and nutrition education; promoting breastfeeding and supporting nursing mothers; and providing healthcare and social-service referrals.
During COVID-19, the unemployment rate has risen to a level higher than even during the Great Recession. As a result, families are increasingly food insecure, which makes WIC more important than ever before.
Made possible with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and in partnership with the National WIC Association, in summer 2020, StoryCorps recorded 7 conversations with families who access WIC as part of a project that focused on helping us understand WIC’s impact on COVID-19 relief and recovery for families.
Below you’ll hear from women who are thankful for WIC as they navigate life’s unexpected challenges, such as being newly unemployed, raising newborns during a pandemic, and caring for children with special needs. Listen to their stories of parenting and relate to how each simply wants the best health and well-being for her family. WIC is one resource that helps their families thrive in the face of the pandemic and beyond.