OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Users of a key federal food assistance program just got some good news in light of the government shutdown.
The state Department of Health (DOH) says its just received a second round of funding to support the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program.
KGMI previously reported that lawmakers expect SNAP benefits to continue through the end of the month, while WIC funding was projected to quickly run dry.
But the added funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will extend the program benefits through the end of October.
WIC offers healthy food and a collection of other support services for pregnant people, new parents, infants and children under the age of 5.
The DOH is advising program users that some WIC officers may temporarily close as a result of the shutdown.
The DOH says it will provide updates if anything changes regarding the timeline for WIC benefits. According to the department, nearly 5,000 Whatcom County residents participated in the program last year.
