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WALWICA
advocates for quality WIC services for eligible women, infants,
and children and provides a collective voice for staff in local
WIC agencies. We educate staff, communities and decision makers at
the local, state, and federal level on issues and policies
that affect staff and the clients served by the WIC Program. We comment
on proposed governmental rule revisions and new rules.
We often testify or write letters as a way to participate
in the legislative process. Below are examples of our work and information for how you
can get more involved. |
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Increase FMNP Funding!
We need your
help to increase state funding for WIC FMNP!
The Local Farms-Healthy Kids bill includes additional funding
for WIC FMNP! This will allow us to serve an additional 21,350
mothers and children this summer. To read more info about this
legislation click here. Contact your legislators today to ask them to support this
bill. To find out who represents you
click here
You can email your legislator directly from their webpage
or
click here to send a message |
WIC Food
Package Changes: USDA Proposed Rule
The USDA issued the long-awaited proposed regulations to improve
the nutritional value and variety of the WIC food packages on
August 7, 2006. The deadline for comments on this proposed rule
was November 6, 2006. According to the Federal Register, USDA/FNS expects that an Interim Final
Rule will be published this coming September 2007. The Interim Final will become
effective in October of 2007 and the Interim Final Rule Comment Period will close in October of 2009.
For more information, please visit the
following links:
WALWICA Invitation to Comment on USDA Proposed Rule: PDF
file
WALWICA Comments: MS
Word document or PDF
file
WALWICA Model Stakeholder Letter: MS
Word document
USDA: Proposed Rule - Revisions in the WIC Food Packages |
WIC at Risk! A Healthy, Strong America
in Jeopardy.
WALWICA is deeply concerned about the President's FY2007 and
beyond budget proposal for WIC and other food and nutrition
safety net programs. WALWICA traveled to Washington DC in early
March 2006 to meet with all members of the Washington State
Congressional Delegation and their staff to educate
them about the impact of the budget proposal to WIC.
Reinforcing the WIC at Risk! message through individual contacts is key. The WIC community needs you
to reach out to policy makers that represent you and your community to help them understand the potentially
devastating impact of cuts to WIC here in Washington State.
Estimated
Impact of 25% Cap and 20% State Match on WIC NSA Funds |
Farmers
Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
WALWICA has worked closely with the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition
Coalition and Advocates for Families & Farms to expand WIC
FMNP to all counties in Washington and to assure all eligible
clients have access to the program. In the 2005 Legislative
session, we were successful in increasing state funding for
both the Senior and WIC FMNP programs so that the program could
continue to expand. Still, not all eligible clients have access
to this program, so continued efforts to promote and advocate
for this program are important. WALWICA has developed a few materials to
assist with promotion of the program:
WIC FMNP
Fact Sheet (PDF file)
Supporting
WIC FMNP in Washington State (PowerPoint)
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Child Nutrition
and WIC Reauthorization
During the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization, WALWICA
wrote to Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provided comments
and recommendations on the proposed changes.
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Getting to Know Your
Decision Makers
You can write a letter, send an email, call, or visit your decision
makers. Find out who represents you and your community below.
It doesn't matter when you make contact with or get to know your decision makers, just so
long as you take the time to do it. There are 49 legislative districts and 9 congressional
districts in Washington state. Each legislative district elects one state senator and two
state representatives. Each congressional district elects one representative and two U.S.
Senators are elected to represent the entire state.
Invite those who represent you and your community to your clinic, your children's school or
to your local farmers market!
Don't know who represents your legislative or congressional district?
Enter your mailing address in the District
Finder online or call toll-free 1-800-562-6000.
See also:
Map of Washington state Congressional
Districts
Map of Washington state Legislative
Districts
WIC Program Authorizing Committees: Senate
and House
WIC Program Appropriations Committees: Senate
and House
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