You are needed! Public Comment on USDA WIC, and changes to SNAP and School Nutrition Standards by Feb 21st, April 10th,

 

USDA: Public Comment Period for WIC   Last Fall, the USDA released a proposed rule to update the WIC food packages to reflect the latest nutrition science. Here are ways you can engage on WIC: Submit a public comment on the proposed rule to update WIC food packages by February 21, 2023. Check out our media toolkit on proposed updates to the WIC food packages – help spread the word! Check out our September 2022 joint blog with Salud America! on the importance of updating the WIC food packages to improve Latino health. Check out UnidosUS and Hispanic Federation’s letter in support of proposed updates to the WIC food packages. Check out this issue brief by the National WIC Association (NWA) on the importance updating the WIC food packages to close nutrition disparities for Latinos.  Check out this recent post by the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) on WIC’s impact on the Latino community. Check out this funding opportunity from the WIC Community Innovation and Outreach (CIAO) Project The USDA is working with Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), UnidosUS, the Native American Agriculture Fund and the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition to help increase WIC participation and retention to reduce disparities. The deadline for applications is March 23, 2023. Apply here!   USDA: Update on School Nutrition Standards   The USDA recently released a proposed rule to update school nutrition standards to improve child health. Submit a public comment on the proposed rule to update school nutrition standards by April 10, 2023. Check out our school meals nutrition standards media toolkit. – help spread the word! Check out our Q/A webpage for more details on our school meal nutrition standards proposed rule. Encourage families you reach to apply for free and reduced-price school meals for their children today!   USDA: Update to Changes on SNAP   Please find information below from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) about upcoming changes to SNAP benefits, in addition to available resources to support the communities you serve.       Beginning March 2023, temporary boosts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)’s benefits (known as emergency allotments) that were authorized by Congress to help low-income families deal with the food and economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic will end nationwide following the recent passage of the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.  SNAP is the nation’s largest Federal nutrition assistance program. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, SNAP emergency allotments brought all SNAP households to the maximum benefit allowed by household size or provided SNAP households with a supplement of $95/month (whichever was greater).   Prior to the passage of the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, Federal law required States to have an emergency or disaster declaration in place during an existing Federal public health emergency declaration in order to issue SNAP emergency allotments. Currently, 33 states (including DC and Guam) are providing SNAP emergency allotments. 18 States no longer have emergency or disaster declarations and, therefore, have already stopped issuing emergency allotments.   For more information about what the end of SNAP emergency allotments means for you and/or the communities you serve, please visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/changes-2023-benefit-amounts.  If you have questions about your SNAP benefits, please contact your state or local SNAP agency. You can find their contact information here: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-directory.    Please check out our latest infographic on forthcoming changes to SNAP benefits: >https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/2023-benefit-changes<   Please check out our latest blog on the end of SNAP emergency allotments.   ADDITIONAL RESOURCES   If you think your children may be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, contact your local school district at any time.  The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a public health nutrition program for low-income parents, infants, and children. WIC provides foods to meet your and your family’s specific nutrition needs, plus nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to important health care and other social services. If you think you or your family may be eligible, visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-how-apply for more information.   If you know families in need of additional support to put food on the table, local programs and partner organizations are available to help. You can call 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE to speak with a representative who will find food resources such as meal sites, food banks, or other social services available near your location.    For further questions, please contact Alberto Gonzalez at alberto.gonzalezjr@usda.gov.   Thank you, White House Office of Public Engagement