Support Maternal and Child Health by Strengthening Missouri WIC

Why Strengthen Missouri WIC?

Missouri’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children, better known as WIC, plays a crucial role in the health and nutrition of our people. WIC provides food assistance, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and health care referrals to low-income and nutritionally at-risk pregnant and postpartum individuals, as well as their children up to age five. The support that WIC provides families during critical periods of development has demonstrated long-term benefits, including improved diet and nutrition, decreased health care costs overall, and improved financial stability. Unfortunately, program participation rates have declined significantly over the past decade despite many positive outcomes. Missouri WIC typically serves over 100,000 infants, young children, and pregnant and postpartum individuals, yet only 53% of eligible Missourians enroll in WIC.

What Is the WIC Innovation Project?

Operation Food Search heard about some of the barriers community members faced to utilizing WIC and decided to investigate further. With funding from the Missouri Foundation for Health, Operation Food Search launched a multi-year initiative to learn from WIC stakeholders and advocate for a program that works better for everyone. The WIC Innovation Project was created to increase WIC satisfaction among all stakeholders and extend the program’s reach to more eligible Missouri families.

During the first phase of the WIC Innovation Project, Operation Food Search spoke with 49 current and former Missouri WIC clients from across the state and listened to their experiences with the program. OFS and our research partner, the Social Policy Institute (SPI) at Washington University in St. Louis, used the WIC client feedback to develop and launch an online survey to gather more information on the WIC client experience. During Spring 2022, the survey was completed by 2,918 WIC-eligible Missourians, who provided valuable information about their own WIC experiences and perceptions.

Learn and Share: How You Can Help

• Read and share Missouri WIC: Benefits and Barriers for highlights and key findings.
• For details, read the full report, Strengthening Missouri WIC: Improving Maternal and Child Health through Research and the Voices of WIC Families, which is organized into three themes: Barriers & Opportunities of Missouri WIC, Missouri WIC & Food Insecurity, and Innovative Policy Solutions.

Take Action to Improve the WIC Food Selection!

• The number one reason our survey respondents cited not enrolling in WIC despite being eligible was dissatisfaction with the food approved foods. USDA recently released its proposed changes to the WIC food package that include significant improvements. We are calling on WIC advocates, families and stakeholders to submit comments and let USDA know you support expanding the food package better to meet the diverse nutritional needs of WIC families.
• Make the fruit and vegetable benefit increase permanent.
• Enhance the variety of choices for WIC families.
• Allow plant-based dairy alternatives and a wider variety of whole grain options.

Click the link to customize and submit your comment: bit.ly/wicfoodpackage

What’s Next?

• The WIC Innovation Project phase two will utilize the phase one feedback to identify and test the effectiveness of improvements made in collaboration with Missouri WIC retail stores. The goal is to improve the WIC shopping experience and increase benefit utilization. If you are a WIC-authorized retailer interested in partnering, contact madison.eacret@operationfoodsearch.org for more information.
• We are integrating advocacy opportunities in our e-Newsletter. Sign-up for and share our e-newsletters for future opportunities to be a food advocate. Follow us on social media at @OpFoodSearch for updates and action alerts!