So far, the federal program that provides food assistance and other support for women, infants, and children — known as WIC — has not been affected by the ongoing government shutdown. At least not yet.
But if the shutdown drags on much longer, benefits for some families could be reduced or cut off entirely, depending on how long the impasse lasts.
WIC covers about 8 million new mothers, infants, and children under 5 years old, at the cost of $6 billion a year. The majority of the program's dollars pay for food assistance, but WIC also spends millions on breastfeeding support and infant formula.
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