Have a Child Under 5? You’re Likely Missing Out on WIC Benefits
Summary
The federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program helps pregnant women and young children get nutritious food and health services. In 2023, only 56% of eligible Americans used WIC, leaving many families without support they qualify for.Key Facts
- About 11.8 million people were eligible for WIC in 2023, but only 6.6 million participated each month on average.
- Participation in WIC is rising again in 2024, reaching roughly 6.7 million per month.
- Children ages 1 to 5 make up about half of WIC participants.
- Barriers to enrollment include confusing rules, stigma at checkout, transportation issues, and fears among immigrant families.
- WIC provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding help, and referrals to healthcare.
- Research shows WIC saves money by improving health and reducing future medical and social costs.
- Many families do not know about WIC or find it hard to apply because of busy schedules and an interview requirement.
- WIC use dropped after peaking at over 9 million participants in 2010 but is now increasing again.
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