DES MOINES, Iowa ( Iowa Capitol Dispatch ) - Federal funding for programs feeding thousands of young and vulnerable Iowans could run out if the government shutdown continues, according to a report from Food & Water Watch.
The national nonprofit released a map and report Thursday compiling how many children under the age of 5 across the U.S. rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) — a program that provides free food and infant care staples to participants, and one of many federal initiatives impacted by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
According to the report, there are nearly 50,000 children in Iowa under 5 who rely on WIC, representing close to 27% of the state’s population in this category. In the U.S., the report states just