Public Health Leaders Meet about New WIC Food Package

Last week more than 300 nutrition experts, large and small grocers, and public health advocates from across the state gathered to learn about the upcoming changes to the food packages available through the federally funded Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC), and its impact on California families. Each month 1.4 million low-income women and children in California receive food vouchers from WIC. With the new package, to begin in 2009, they will be receiving vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and soy products.

The decision to enhance the original package containing milk, eggs, juice and cheese occurred last December and was based on recommendations from the National Institute of Medicine (IOM) along with additional community input. Click below to listen to comments from California State WIC Director Lennea Sallack about how the change in the food package will possibly impact California's obesity epidemic.

The statewide meeting, entitled Making Change Matter: Maximizing the Health Impact of the New WIC Foods, was held to gather input from attendees on ways to maximize the community health benefits of the historic change. "If planned carefully and leveraged by strategic partnerships, the implementation of the new WIC food changes could result in dramatic health improvements in communities most impacted by the obesity epidemic," said Laurie True, executive director of the California WIC Association. Click below to hear more of Laurie's comments.

Workshop topics included exploring the potential financial boon for farms as more WIC families have access to fresh produce; how to keep WIC-messaging consistent statewide; as well as ways to expand WIC-grocer partnerships. The impressive array of panelists and facilitators included representatives from the California Department of Public Health, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Dairy Council of California.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity for California health programs and local advocates to work together in new ways to decrease health disparities," said Judith Bell, president of PolicyLink. The summit was sponsored by the California WIC Association and PolicyLink, a research and advocacy organization dedicated to increasing equity for underserved communities.

Several professionals from the local Los Angeles WIC affiliate, PHFE-WIC, attended the summit. First 5 LA was able to get comments from their Executive Director, Eloise Jenks, about how the new package will impact L.A. County families, and also what CBO's can do to support the effort. Click below to listen.

To learn more about the summit contact Robbie Gonzales-Dow from the California WIC Association at (831) 521-7208.

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