>> LOW-INCOME >> MOTHERS AND CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR A MAJOR FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM COULD BE TURNED AWAY OR WAITLISTED.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN OR WIC IS FACING A 1 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL.

MORE THAN 160,000 WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN ILLINOIS ARE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM AND CONGRESS HAS UNTIL MARCH, WHICH BEGINS THIS FRIDAY TO SECURE FUNDING.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE OUR RUBY FERGUSON SENIOR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AT THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY.

AND JOINING US BY ZOOM, STEPHANIE, BEST ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF FAMILY WELLNESS.

AND WITH WEED AT THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

THANKS TO YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

RUBY LAID OUT FOR US.

PLEASE WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR FAMILIES OF CONGRESS DOESN'T SECURE ENOUGH FOR THE WIC PROGRAM.

YEAH, I'M THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

AND I HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING IN PRIOR TO THIS ROLE.

>> AND WAS ABLE TO DIRECTLY SIR FAMILIES THAT BENEFITED FROM THE WIC PROGRAM.

>> OFFERS NOT ONLY SERVICES, BUT ALSO A VOUCHER REFERRAL SERVICES, OTHER MEADS.

AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, LACTATION SUPPORT, WHICH CAN BE HARD FOR FAMILIES TO FINE.

>> REMIND YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF LIKE THE VARIETY OF SERVICES.

I THINK MOST FOLKS KIND OF ASSOCIATED WITH USES A FORMULA FOR BABIES.

BUT GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT ELSE FAMILIES CAN GET.

YEAH, SO IT'S NOT ON THE FORMULA FOR BABIES, BUT HELPING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UP 5 YEARS OF AGE, WHICH WE KNOW IS A CRITICAL TIME FOR DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO FAMILIES CAN HAVE THE CONTINUITY OF CARE AND WIC TO HAVE LONGER APPOINTMENTS HAVE A DEEP DIVE INTO NUTRITION.

EXPLORE HOW TO HELP PICKY TODDLERS, EAT NEW FOODS, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> AND SO LOSING THIS BILLION DOLLARS ARE NOT HAVING THIS BILLION DOLLARS TO CONTINUE.

THAT PROGRAMMING CAN GREATLY IMPACT THE OUTCOMES OF OUR FUTURE GENERATION.

TO THAT POINT, STEPHANIE, BEST, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF CONGRESS DOESN'T APPROVE THE FUNDING NECESSARY FOR WITH WHAT HAPPENS TO SERVICES?

>> WELL, ESSENTIALLY, IF THEY DON'T GET THE INCREASE FROM CONGRESS, IT'S SORT OF LIKE GETTING A CUT BECAUSE OUR CASELOAD HAS GROWN FOOD COSTS ARE UP.

STAFF COSTS ARE UP OVER TIME.

AND SO ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL CUTS WOULD REALLY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FOOD BENEFIT.

CURRENTLY WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE CHILD UNDER AGE 5 WITH $25 PER MONTH TO PURCHASE FRESH FROZEN OR CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

AND IF THAT MONEY DOES NOT COME THROUGH, ARE LOOKING TO RETURN THAT BACK DOWN TO THE REGULATORY LANGUAGE OF $9 PER MONTH, WHICH IS A HUGE SHIFT IN A REAL DOZENS OF FAMILIES ARE REALLY COULD USE THAT THOSE THAT PRODUCE IN THEIR HOME, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING WHAT WE JUST MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE THE RISING COST OF FOOD, RUBY, YOUR ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH FOLKS.

>> I'M HELPING THEM TO APPLY FOR WIC SERVICES.

AS YOU JUST SAID, HAVE YOU NOTICED GREATER INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM?

>> YEAH.

SO IN GENERAL FOOD INSECURITY CONTINUES TO GO BECAUSE MADE A LOT OF GREAT STRIDES IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TO GET MORE PEOPLE ON THE PROGRAM.

BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, ONE IN 5 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CHICAGO METRO AREA WITH CHILDREN ARE FACING FOOD INSECURITY.

AND SO IF WE LOSE ACCESS TO LIKE THOSE VOUCHERS THAT YOU GET FROM WAKE, IT WILL CREATE HUGE DETRIMENT AND THE EMERGENCY FOOD SYSTEM THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY SUPPORTS CAN PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES BUT DOESN'T MEET THE FULL NEED.

AND SO WE NEED THIS COLLABORATION PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS ADDRESS THE NEED.

>> A SEVEN-YEAR DEPARTMENT IS SAYING THAT FLAT FUNDING FOR THE WIC PROGRAM WOULD WOULD EQUATE TO A CUT IN ILLINOIS.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY >> WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE OPERATING ON THE FUNDING LEVEL THAT WE RECEIVE FOR FEDERAL FISCAL BUT WE KNOW THAT THE COST PAYING WAGES TO STAFF.

SO HERE IN ILLINOIS, WE HAVE 94, LOCAL WIC AGENCIES THAT WE GRANT FUNDS TO AND THEY HAVE TO HIRE EMPLOYEES AND PAY THEIR, YOU KNOW, TELECOM AND ALL THOSE BILLS AS WELL AS ISSUE THOSE FOOD BENEFITS AND THE COSTS OF THE FOODS AT THE STORE.

SO OUR COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE.

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY SEES THAT SHOPS ARE, YOU KNOW, HAS HAS EMPLOYEES.

AND SO WE NEED AN INCREASE IN ORDER TO KEEP WITH RISING COSTS AND ARE GROWING CASELOAD.

RUBY, WHO IS LIKELY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WIC PROGRAM MOST LIKELY TO FEEL IF CUTS SHOULD HAPPEN.

LIKELY MENTIONED FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER 5.

>> BIRTHING PARENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY PREGNANT, POSTPARTUM LACTATING ALL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WIC PROGRAM.

A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT YOU NEED TO BE A TO PARTICIPATE ON THE PROGRAM.

BUT WE SAW GRANDPARENTS WE SAW ON THEIS.

WE SAW PEOPLE STEPPING UP AND SHOWING UP THERE.

AND SO IT'S LIKELY THAT YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR WAKE AND THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT IT.

AND TO MISS OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY AND SO CAN IMPACT A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES HERE IN CHICAGO COULD ALSO HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON FAMILIES OF COLOR.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE SEE HIGH RATES OF FOOD INSECURITY IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND SPECIALLY WITH FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.

>> STEPHANIE, WHAT'S BEEN THE LASTING IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON THOSE WHO DEPEND ON AND THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH.

I THINK THAT IS JUST SO IMPORTANT GET OUR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, GET GET ALL THE ELIGIBLE FAMILIES IT INTO WHERE IT CAN YOU KNOW, WE'RE A HIGHER TOUCH PROGRAM.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A PAPER APPLICATION.

WE HAVE TRAINED STAFF, NUTRITIONIST AND NURSES THAT TOO.

>> WITH NUTRITION ASSESSMENT, WE WEIGH AND MEASURE CHECKING BOBAN LEVELS LOOK FOR CHRONIC AND ACUTE HEALTH AND NUTRITION RELATED CONDITIONS AND WITH ISOLATION FROM THE PANDEMIC.

WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG FAMILIES OUT THERE THAT MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEIR CHILD HAS A HEALTH CONCERN.

SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD THE LAST 9 MONTHS TO REALLY GET OUR FAMILIES BACK IN GETTING THEM SEEN REALLY LOOKED AT.

AND WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE THE NUMBERS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER LIKE A HIGHER RISK OR HIGH PRIORITY POPULATION.

SO WE KNOW THAT LAYING EYES ON THEM AND GETTING THOSE HEIGHTS AND WEIGHTS IS A BIG DEAL.

SO WE REALLY WANT TO KEEP THAT MOVE BEING.

AND I WANT TO JUST ADD FOR 2, IT REALLY WAS JUST SAYING, I MEAN, WE SEE A LOT OF WORKING FAMILIES AND A FAMILY OF 4 CAN QUALIFY FOR WITH IF THEY MAKE $55,000 OR LESS A YEAR.

SO 185% OF FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES IS A PRETTY HIGH INCOME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T OTHER ELIGIBLE WHEN THEY ARE SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO DO OUTREACH AND GROW OUR CASELOAD.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST WAITING TO SEE IF THE FUNDING WILL SUPPORT IT.

GOT JUST A COUPLE SECONDS LEFT, BUT AS WE'RE SEEING THE PHASING OUT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ENSURE?

>> THAT THAT THOSE PROGRAM STILL EXISTS, THAT FOLKS WILL HAVE ACCESS?

SO WE NEED CHURCH, CONGRESS AND OUR SENATE TO CONTINUE TO FUND THESE PROGRAMS.

>> WE KNOW THAT THIS SET UP A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE.

SO EVERY DOLLAR SPENT AND WIC SAVES TAXPAYERS $8 IN MEDICAID AND SO INVESTING IN PROGRAMS LIKE THIS THAT GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE ARE REALLY QUINTESSENTIAL TO TRANSFORMING THE HEALTH OF THE