Shutdown Jeopardizes Nutrition Program for Poor

1) http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/kids-family/shutdown-jeopardizes-nutrition-program-for-poor/nbFfM/

2) What Category: Political/Health/Social

3) Level of issue: National

4) Who does this issue affect? Not only does the government shutdown affect women who are provided for by WIC, but also, the children of these low-income mothers/families.

5) Why or how does this affect them? The government shutdown has cut off funding to WIC, which provides for over nine million low-income mothers with assistance providing for their infant. Although, WIC has stated that they believe they can operate up until the end of October (hopefully), it all depends on the length of the shutdown.

6) What are your views on this issue? The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, supplies low-income women with checks or debit cards that can be used for infant formula and cereal, fruits and vegetables, dairy items and other healthy food. WIC also provides breast-feeding support and nutrition classes. Poor women with children under five are eligible for the assisted care. With the shutdown happening, these women are unable to provide for their infants, and even though other government agencies claim that WIC can last on its funding through out the rest of October, WIC thinks otherwise, saying that they wouldn’t even be able to last through the week. These mothers will have to either scrape up money that they don’t have, or give their babies diluted formula, milk, which is bad for the baby’s health, or water which does not have the vitamins needed for a growing infant.

 Not only that, but women who still have credit and vouchers to use for formula in grocery stores are getting denied, and are sent away with voucher in hand. I think that these women should at least be allowed to use whatever resources they still have from WIC. The shutdown is affecting so many people and at this point, I honestly feel like they just don’t care. There are so many people suffering while the core people who are in control of the shutdown are still getting paid. Although many congressmen and women have given up their pay or deferred their pay, they should be making sure that their money is actually going to people in desperate need of assistance.