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(NEXSTAR) — As the governmental impasse persists, the prospect of over 40 million individuals losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits looms large as November approaches.
If the shutdown stretches into next month, countless others relying on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could also face a lapse in receiving their crucial food assistance.
WIC, much like SNAP, is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture but managed at the state level. This program targets low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children, offering short-term aid. Eligibility is determined by factors such as pregnancy status, recent childbirth, breastfeeding an enrolled infant under one year, or caring for a child under five.
The National WIC Association (NWA) reports that WIC benefits are currently assisting nearly 7 million people across the nation.
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In the early stages of the shutdown, the NWA cautioned that while existing program funds were dwindling, assistance could continue for about one to two weeks. To extend benefits slightly, WIC can utilize unspent grant funds from the previous fiscal year under the USDA’s contingency provisions, but this solution offers only temporary relief.
On Oct. 7, WIC received a lifeline as the White House said it would infuse the program with $300 million from President Trump’s tariff revenues to maintain benefits through the month.
Nearly three weeks later, with the shutdown still on, funds are getting tight at WIC again.
“The National WIC Association is grateful for the emergency funds that kept WIC running this month. However, without additional support, State WIC Agencies face another looming crisis,” Georgia Machell, the president and CEO of the NWA, said in a Tuesday press release. She went on to say several state agencies will run out of funds on November 1 and “may need to start making contingency plans” this week.
“NWA is calling on the White House to make additional emergency funds available to avoid a short-term crisis for the millions of American families who count on WIC while Congress negotiates full-year funding for FY 2026,” Machell added.
On Friday, 44 organizations signed on to a letter from NWA that was sent to the White House, calling for additional emergency funds. The letter said the funding is needed this week “to avoid major disruptions to WIC” starting on Saturday when the calendar flips to November.
Without funds, state agencies “may be forced to take drastic measures that prevent families from accessing the services they need, such as halting food benefits,” Machell said in Tuesday’s release.
Some states are stepping in to ensure funding. In early October, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said the state would use funds from its reserves to keep its WIC program operating.
Officials in Forsyth County, North Carolina, said the state’s Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday that “funding for WIC is expected to be available at least through November 15th.”
Health officials in Kansas said available WIC food money should last into November, Nexstar’s KSNT reported, though the state’s WIC agency has temporarily stopped making formula available for pickup at local clinics because of the government shutdown.
The California Department of Public Health is encouraging those enrolled in WIC to continue using their benefits “unless your local WIC office tells you otherwise.” Officials told KQED on Wednesday that the state’s WIC program expected to remain “full operational through November 30, assuming no unexpected changes at the federal government level.”
Health officials in Utah and Minnesota said their WIC programs will continue to be available into November.
New York’s WIC program “is not expected to” be impacted by the government shutdown, according to its website. Michigan’s WIC program says it remains open.
In addition to requesting funds to keep SNAP up and running, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said last week that WIC access had been extended in the state. Colorado WIC said in an update Wednesday that “the program can continue through at least October 2025.”
If you’re unsure about whether your WIC benefits will be interrupted next month, you may want to contact your local agency.
Nexstar’s Alix Martichoux contributed to this report.
