{"id":8629,"date":"2022-07-27T15:39:55","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T19:39:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalfoodresearchprogram.org\/?p=8629"},"modified":"2025-02-06T16:05:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T21:05:00","slug":"increased-wic-cash-vouchers-for-fruits-vegetables-have-helped-families-eat-healthier-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalfoodresearchprogram.org\/increased-wic-cash-vouchers-for-fruits-vegetables-have-helped-families-eat-healthier-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Increased WIC cash vouchers for fruits & vegetables have helped families eat healthier during COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n

\"WICMany U.S. families faced new or additional challenges to finding and paying for food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these are over 6 million women and young children who participate in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)<\/a>, which provides nutrition education, supplemental foods, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals for health care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning in June 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act<\/a> provided a temporary increase in the cash value benefit (CVB) or voucher for WIC participants to buy fruits and vegetables. This increased the monthly CVB voucher amount from $9\u201311 per person to $35 per person. In September 2021, this temporary increase was extended, and the monthly benefit amounts were changed to $24 per child and $43\u2013$47 for women (depending on whether they are pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

To explore WIC participants’ experiences with the CVB changes, researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill held 10 online focus groups with WIC participants in North Carolina in March 2022. Each group had 4\u20138 participants from similar racial\/ethnic backgrounds. Half of the participants lived in rural counties and half lived in urban or suburban counties. Participants were asked about their experiences shopping with WIC during the pandemic, their awareness of CVB changes, and their experiences using the higher CVB amount. The information collected in this study has the potential to inform changes to the WIC program and provide evidence for future emergency response policies. Key findings include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"YoungHigher CVB met participants’ needs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n