Oregon WIC Program marks 50 years of bringing nutrition services to families

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program turns 50 this year and is celebrating by highlighting its work bringing healthy foods, connections to community programs, breastfeeding and lactation support, and nutrition education to Oregon families.

“WIC has been helping families achieve nutrition security for 50 years,” said Oregon WIC Director Tiare Sanna, RDN. “Spending my career with a program that benefits so many is an amazing gift. I have been with WIC for 24 of its 50 years, and during that time, I have seen thousands of families receive support, I've worked with hundreds of people passionate about the work they do every day, and I've seen a program always working to be better for those it serves.”

She added that she “can only imagine the good this program will do over the next 50 years, working to grow healthy families together.”

Oregon WIC opened in April 1974 and supported 2,500 women, infants and children in five pilot programs. Last year, more than 114,000 participants in 36 Oregon counties were served through local health departments, nonprofits, Native American Tribal organizations, migrant health centers and a Head Start Program.

Oregon WIC has evolved over 50 years and has:

• Improved access with technology offering online nutrition education, virtual appointment options, an online sign-up form and texting capabilities.
• Enhanced the shopping experience by offering an eWIC card to buy food and phone app that tracks the food benefit balance.
• Increased access to local produce and supported hundreds of farmers through the Farm Direct Nutrition Program.
• Expanded healthy food options that include whole grains, vegan alternatives such as tofu, dairy alternatives, and fruits and vegetables.

Oregon WIC will further expand its food package next spring. This will help advance health equity and add flexibility and access to more culturally appropriate foods, fruits and vegetables.

“Increasing the fruit and vegetable benefit and appeal of the WIC food package, while maintaining its nutrition integrity, is paramount to the success of the program,” Sanna said.

Alexia Roy-Miller, former WIC participant and current WIC public health educator, recalled that when her daughter was young, Roy-Miller went to WIC for help to stretch her food budget.

“We were met with such genuine care and compassion, and I learned so much about the importance of nutrition,” Roy-Miller said. “My experiences with WIC inspired me to become a lactation consultant to help support other families like mine.”

This month, WIC recognizes decades of supporting families during National Breastfeeding Month. Oregon WIC is a leader in lactation support.

In 2023 in Oregon:

• 96% of WIC moms start out breastfeeding.
• 36% of WIC babies are exclusively breastfed at age 6 months, which is higher than the national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We meet our families where they are with their infant feeding goals. We provide encouragement and information so those we serve can make informed decisions that work best for their families,” says Korina Skaff, WIC breastfeeding coordinator. Seventy-one percent of WIC families are working families. WIC supported an Oregon law allowing lactating employees rest periods for expression of milk in the workplace.

In addition to serving more than 83,000 infants and children last year, WIC supports dads, grandparents, foster parents, or legal guardians that have kids younger than 5. The program offers state-of-the-art health and nutrition support through personal counseling and group education.

WIC is for pregnant people and children under 5. If you qualify for SNAP or Oregon Health Plan, you may qualify for WIC. Visit healthoregon.org/wic to learn more or to find a WIC clinic near you.