Lorrene Ritchie, Nutrition Policy Institute director and cooperative extension specialist, was quoted in an Oct. 17, 2022 News Nation article, “WIC extension led to fewer hungry kids; will it continue?”. The article speaks to the impact of inflation and supply chain issues on families and their ability to afford groceries. Done in collaboration with Dr. Shannon Whaley and her team at Public Health Foundation Enterprises-WIC, NPI research involving participants of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) was highlighted in the article. Her work to understand how the recent federal increase in money WIC participants receive to spend on fruits and vegetables, known as the Cash Value Benefit, was featured. Ritchie was quoted, “going up by just $15 a month per child may not sound like much, but for many families, it adds up, especially if there are multiple young children in the program.” The article also includes quotes from several WIC families in her study who benefited from the increase in money from WIC to spend on fruits and vegetables.
Editor - Director of the Nutrition Policy Institute and Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist