Although often overlooked by many Americans, the issue of poverty in the United States is one that needs immediate attention. Millions of Americans are not fed, clothed, or housed sufficiently. A study conducted in 2001 found that 18.2 percent of children under the age of six in the U.S were living in poverty (Eitzen, Baca Zinn 208). A number of policies have been implemented in an attempt to put an end to such poverty stricken conditions. One such policy is that of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, referred to as WIC.
The WIC program first began as a 2-year pilot program in 1972 by an amendment to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. It was then made permanent in 1975. The program was established during a period of time when the public’s concern about malnutrition among low-income mothers,
as well as children, seemed to be at an all time high (Caudle; Newcomer 862). Formerly known as the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, WIC's name was altered under the Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994 (Caudle; Newcomer 863).WIC services were designed to deliver early nutrition and health intervention during a critical period of growth and development for a child. This will then help to prevent future medical and or developmental problems from occurring. Since it's commencement, the number of participants in the program has expanded to an average of 7.2 million as of 2000. WIC began to receive increased funding due to strong congressional support. WIC was found to have high rates of return for its investment, thus proving to be successful (Popp 2003, 14). However, WIC is not an entitlement program. This means that the congress does not set aside funds to ensure that every eligible individual can participate. Rather, WIC is a Federal grant program (Caudle; Newcomer 870). It is a program in which Congress allots a specific amount of funding each year for the program to operate (Caudle; Newcomer 871). The funds are provided by the Food and Nutrition Service (Caudle; Newcomer 871). The Food and Nutrition Service also administers the program from the Federal level (Caudle; Newcomer 874).
WIC provides a number of services to women, children and infants who qualify. WIC provides nutritious foods, such as, iron-fortified infant
formula and infant cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, vitamin C rich fruit or vegetable juice, and peanut butter (Ekechuku 1989, 37). These are nutrients that are commonly lacking in the diets of the target participants (Ekechuku 1989, 37). There are also special therapeutic infant formulas, as well as, medical foods provided to those who receive a prescription from a physician (Ekechuku 1989, 41). This is done by giving WIC recipients checks or vouchers to purchase certain foods every month that have been designated as supplemental to their diets (Freeman 1994, 72). WIC checks are easily used to get free healthy food and formula at over 900 authorized grocery stores and pharmacies statewide. WIC State agencies distribute the WIC foods through delivery or warehousing (Popp 2003, 15). WIC also provides nutrition counseling to its program members (Popp 2003, 14). The goal of this is to equip the mothers with the necessary information to wisely feed their families. Another service provided by WIC is that of referrals to health and other social services (Popp 2003, 12). These referrals are given to the participants at no charge (Popp 2003, 12).
WIC is not able to serve all eligible persons due to lack of funding. However, they have developed a system of priorities in order to fill program openings (Freeman 1994, 71). In order to participate in WIC applicants must be; pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants determined to be at nutrition risk, infants up to 6 months of age whose mothers participated in WIC, children at nutrition risk, non-breastfeeding, postpartum women with nutrition risk and individuals at nutrition risk only because they are homeless or migrants (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 24). There are two types of nutrition risk that are observed by WIC in regards to eligibility (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 29). One is medically based risk such as anemia, underweight, overweight, history of pregnancy, or poor pregnancy outcomes (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 29). Another type of nutrition risk recognized by WIC is dietary risks, such as failure to meet dietary guidelines or inappropriate nutrition practices (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 30). The nutrition risk of an applicant is determined by a health profe Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 30). This health screening is free to applicants. In order to be eligible on the basis of income, an applicant must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 36). A person who participates or has a family member who participates in other benefit programs, such as food stamps, automatically meets the income requirement (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 36).
WIC is widely available reaching all over the United States, as well as, stretching beyond the U.S. (Gordon 1995, 148). In order for a policy to be implemented properly it must reach those in need of its services. In the case of WIC it seems as if all areas are covered. WIC serves all fifty states in the U.S.( Gordon 1995, 148). It also serves thirty three Indian Tribal Organizations (Gordon 1995, 149). WIC includes the District of Columbia, America Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well (Gordon 1995, 150). There are a total of eighty eight WIC State agencies (Gordon 1995, 154). These agencies administer the program through 2,200 local agencies, as well as, 9,000 clinics (Gordon 1995, 154). WIC health services can be located at county health departments, hospitals, mobile clinics (vans), community centers, schools, public housing sites, migrant health centers and camps, and Indian Health Service facilities (Gordon 1995, 156).
In 1974 the first year that WIC was officially founded there was a participation level of 88,000 people (Ford 1995, 23). In 1980, the participation level had increased greatly to 1.9 million people, by 1985 the participation had reached3.1 million people, and by 1990 participation was at 4.5 million people (Ford 1995, 23).
Although WIC experienced a huge rate of increase in regards to participation between its commencement and 1990, by 2003 the average monthly participation was approximately 7.63 million (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 63).
Children have always been the focus of WIC participants. Children compiled 3.82million of the WIC recipients in the year 2003 (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 33).The remaining recipients were compiled of 1.95 million infants, and 1.86 million women (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 32). According to the annual participation information from November 26, 2004 the state of California has the highest number of participants (U.S. Census Bureau 2004). In 2003 California had 1,274,489 residents involved in the WIC program (U.S. Census Bureau 2004).
Although the numbers seem to show prosperity for WIC some are not pleased with its progress. In the article "We're Feeding the Poor as if They're Starving” by Douglas J. Besharov the author expresses his grievances with the WIC program. He states, “WIC's nutritional counseling program is the biggest disappointment. In addition to food packages, the program is supposed to provide nutritional advice. In practice, counselors spend an average of about 15 minutes with mothers every three months, hardly enough to make any real difference, particularly because many other topics must be covered during those sessions, including -- pursuant to congressional mandate -- voter registration.” (Popp 2003, 62). Despite the view point of Douglas J. Besharov, advocates are continually pushing to get more families on WIC (Popp 2003, 62). At this point nearly 50 percent of all newborns are already enrolled in the program, whose eligibility guidelines are regarded as too lenient in the opinion of some (Popp 2003, 64).
Supporters of WIC say that WIC has been fulfilling their mission and responsibilities. Data shows that WIC has been improving the well being of a number of participants. According to the data WIC is effective in improving the health of pregnant women and new mothers, as well as their infants. A 1990 study showed that women who participated in the program during their pregnancies had lower Medicaid costs for themselves and their babies than did those women who did not participate (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 27). WIC participation has also been linked with longer gestation periods; higher birth weights and importantly, lowers infant mortality rates (Kirlin; Cole; Logan 2003, 29).
According to the data WIC seems to be successful. The program assists those that agreeably need assistance. WIC also assures that not only are women and their children eating, but also that they are eating healthy. A program could simply supply food to the hunger; however WIC went even further in order to assure that these women and their children are healthy. This is shown aside from the food provided to the members. These members receive a number of benefits in order to assist them with their struggles. WIC seems to be one of the more prosperous programs that has been developed in order to combat hunger and malnutrition in the United States. Hopefully WIC will remain active and even further their affluence. It is important that the government as well as citizens of the United States continue to realize the issue with poverty that our country is encountering because together through governmental policy, as well as, understanding we can hinder the growth of poverty, and help our children who are living in poverty.
