Piloted as a supplemental food program aimed at improving the health of pregnant mothers, infants and children.

Enacted as a response to concerns over high rates of malnutrition among many mothers and young children experiencing poverty.  First site was opened in Kentucky in January of 1974.  By the end of the year, it was up and running in 45 states.  In 1975, the program became permanent.

The program is administered, at the federal level, by the Department of Agriculture Food and Consumer Service. Federal funds are then distributed to state health departments for allocation to agencies operating WIC Programs. 2

Currently:

• WIC operates through 1,900 local agencies, 10,000 clinic sites, and approximately 47,000 authorized retailers.

• Examples of where WIC services are provided:

  • County health departments

  • Hospitals

  • Mobile clinics

  • Community centers

  • Schools

  • Public housing sites

  • Migrant health centers and camps

  • Native American Health Service facilities

• Local WIC clinics use money from the federal government to provide services such as supplying nutritious food and nutritional counseling, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals for health care

For more information, see here.

For the full text of the bill, see here.

Endnotes

1. https://www.nwica.org/overview-and-history

2. https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/legislative-history-breastfeeding-promotion-requirements-wic