Key Takeaways:
- ⚠️ 5.3 million children under 5 could lose WIC food help.
- ⏰ Program funds may run out within one to two weeks.
- 🏛️ Lawmakers disagree on how to restore funding.
- 🍎 WIC supports pregnant women, infants, and low-income families.
- 💵 Some states might run out of WIC money first without federal help.
The WIC funding crisis is getting worse during the October 2025 government shutdown. A new report by Food & Water Watch says 5.3 million children under 5 may soon lose access to food aid. The WIC program helps nearly 7 million people, including pregnant women, new moms, and babies, across the United States. That means 1 in 4 young children in America get help from WIC.
Quick Facts: WIC serves almost 7 million Americans and helps more than 25% of all children under age 5 in the United States get proper nutrition.
The shutdown started on October 1, 2025, and it immediately put programs like WIC in danger. WIC depends on yearly federal funds, which stopped when the government shut down. Right now, the program is using $150 million from emergency savings and $135 million from baby formula rebates. Experts say this money will only last one to two weeks. After that, many families may not get their WIC benefits, especially in states that can’t cover costs with their own funds.
Which states are most at risk? Food & Water Watch created a map showing where the most children depend on WIC. Here are the areas with the highest need:
- Puerto Rico leads with 76% of young children relying on WIC food assistance
- California has 38% of children under five using WIC benefits
- New York follows with 35% of young children on the program
- Delaware and North Carolina both have 34% participation rates
- Kentucky, West Virginia, Oregon, and New Mexico all have about 32-33% of young kids depending on WIC
Lawmakers are fighting over how to fix this. Democrats in Congress want a short-term bill to fully fund WIC, while Republicans are suggesting a flat budget, which experts say is really a $600 million cut when you include inflation and high grocery prices. President Trump said he may use tariff money to fund WIC, but that plan would still need Congress to approve it.
The WIC program does more than give out food. It helps families buy baby formula, fruits, milk, cereal, and other healthy foods. It also offers nutrition classes, breastfeeding help, and health checks. Studies show that kids in WIC have better health, lower infant deaths, stronger immune systems, and better school performance.
Right now, state agencies are trying to keep WIC running. The USDA told states they can use rebate money, state funds, and leftover emergency funds. But they can’t use old 2025 money for 2026 costs. Because of this, many new applicants are only approved if they are in “Priority 1” — that means pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, and infants.
Some states, like California and New York, are exploring ways to use state money to cover WIC costs temporarily. But other states don’t have the money to do that. If the shutdown continues, millions of families will have to choose between buying food and paying bills.
Mitch Jones, who leads policy work at Food & Water Watch, said: “Trump and Congressional Republicans have driven America headfirst into a government shutdown. It is poor women and children who will feel the impacts first and worst.”
This comes just months after President Trump’s July 2025 budget cuts removed SNAP (food stamps) from over 2 million people. Critics say these new cuts hit low-income mothers and kids the hardest.
If the government doesn’t reopen soon, the WIC program could start turning families away as early as next week. That would mean millions of children losing access to healthy food, baby formula, and nutrition support they depend on every day.
