Just Harvest Action to Save WIC

Dear Senators Toomey and Casey,

As part of the continuing resolution (HR 1), Congress is calling for huge cuts that will affect low-income Americans who depend on vital social programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The Senate vote on HR 1 is imminent.

Just Harvest, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization that works to eliminate hunger and poverty in our community, notes that HR 1 includes a $758 million cut to WIC. This would have a tremendously negative effect on low-income new mothers who use their monthly WIC benefits to purchase high-nutrition fruits, vegetables, grains and formula and milk for their children up to age 5.

In Allegheny County, over 16,000 WIC-eligible households participated in this program in 2010. And the program benefits more than just families. According to the Allegheny County Health Department, WIC brought $11,832,943 in sales to 94 WIC-authorized stores. A better fix for our deficit crisis that would not eliminate resources for so many in our community can surely be found.

Low-income mothers and children do not deserve to pay for the shortfalls of others. Just Harvest and the undersigned concerned citizens urge you to vote in opposition to HR 1 or any other policy that cuts vital social safety net programs like WIC.