Bipartisan Debt Limit Deal Reached

The federal debt limit deal passed by Congress and signed by President Biden last week included a two-year cap on federal spending, which would freeze non-defense discretionary spending at current levels for fiscal year 2024 while limiting growth to 1% in fiscal year 2025. This could dramatically affect WIC, as flat funding falls $615 million short of what USDA estimates is needed to meet the program's expanding caseload in fiscal year 2024. 

As of May 31^st, we are halfway through the state legislative season, and bills have either passed through their house of origin and been sent onward to the other house, or they have died. CWA's bill list has fared pretty well! Most of the bills we have taken a support position on have made it through their house of origin and on to the other house, including several paid family leave and caregiving related initiatives.

CWA Annual Conference - ONE Week Left to View Sessions!

If you were with us in April for our annual conference, Embracing Opportunity and Health for Children and Families, then you know it was a week full of engaging speakers, valuable content, questions and answers. Shout out to exhibitors and sponsors, key partners for WIC’s success, and to you, the attendees! Did you attend, but miss out on a session you were hoping to catch? Attendees can also return at a later date and watch all presentations and check out trade show materials on the conference platform until June 15th, 2023.

Have You Voted Yet?

We have 75,818 votes so far in the Target Circle Campaign. Can we make it to 100,000? We think so. Thank you to EVERYONE who has given us your votes. If you live in any of the following counties, please consider giving CWA your votes. We have until June 30^th to make this happen! If you don’t know about this really cool benefit in your Target Circle App, check out this video.

• Auburn
• Citrus Heights
• Davis
• El Dorado Hills
• Elk Grove
• Folsom
• Lincoln
• Rancho Cordova
• Rocklin
• Roseville
• Roseville
• Sacramento
• West Sacramento
• Woodland

WIC Walks Sizzling Summer Challenge!

We all know that WIC staff talk to the talk when it comes to health and fitness, but do you and your colleagues need a little extra motivation to walk the walk? Join us in July for the WIC Walks Sizzling Summer Challenge. Share this flier with your staff. You can sign up by sending your team name, agency, and the names and emails of all team members to Vanessa. We will be using the Pacer for Teams App for this challenge. 

Be a Part of our Annual Conference Planning Committee!

Interested in helping to plan the 32^nd CWA Virtual Conference in 2024? We welcome California WIC staff and community partners. The commitment averages about 30 minutes to one hour every other week from mid-July – late-November. We ask each planning committee member to moderate at least one session at the conference (but you are welcome to do more). In return, we waive the conference fee for all committee members. If you are interested, let Jodi know at jmulliganpfile@calwic.org. 

Results of a new research paper (whose authors include Dr. Shannon Whaley of PHFE WIC in Los Angeles) indicate that the boost to the WIC fruit and vegetable benefit that began in June 2021 resulted in higher WIC redemption rates, lowered food insecurity, increased program satisfaction among participants, and an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption for children.

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Six states, including California, recently implemented state-funded universal free meal programs in public schools. About 20 additional states have considered bills this year that would make free school meals permanent. During the pandemic, the federal government paid to make school lunches and breakfasts free for all students. Advocates for continuing the practice note that this helped remove the stigma associated with accepting free and reduced-price lunches.

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A new paper in International Breastfeeding Journal reports that doulas provided breastfeeding support during the COVID-19 pandemic by utilizing innovative service delivery methods while navigating changes in COVID-19 guidance. However, system-level integration of doulas' work and the acknowledgment of doulas as essential healthcare providers are needed to enhance doula service delivery capacity, especially during a pandemic, to help improve maternal health outcomes.



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Infants whose mothers have low peanut consumption while breastfeeding experienced a significant protective effect against peanut sensitization over infants whose mothers have a high peanut consumption or do not consume peanuts, according to a new study.

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