WIC Coverage in Florida

Florida

Children who live in food-insecure households are at increased risk of adverse health outcomes such as asthma, depression and forgoing necessary medical care. 

The federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has supported families across the United States for over 50 years. The program provides health care referrals, breastfeeding support, nutrition education and additional food to women and children with low household incomes at risk of hunger. Eligible WIC participants can get coupons through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program to buy fresh produce from select farmers markets and stands closer to home, allowing more access to healthy foods with less travel time and lower costs.

Pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, as well as infants and children up to age 5 with low household incomes may be eligible to participate in the program. Only 56% of those eligible participated in 2023 due to various barriers, including misunderstanding the program, not having time away from work to apply, language or cultural barriers and difficulty with transportation.

The most comprehensive data (2019) indicates that every $1 spent on WIC saves an estimated $2.48 in medical, educational and productivity costs. 

WIC coverage rates are higher among eligible: 

• Infants compared with children up to age 5, particularly 4-year-olds.
• Hispanic/Latino individuals compared with non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white individuals.
• Individuals residing in metropolitan areas compared with nonmetropolitan areas. 

Research shows the WIC program:

• Helps pregnant women give birth to healthier babies by providing nutritious foods, connecting families to prenatal and postpartum care and reducing low birthweight. 
• Supports better infant feeding practices and more nutritious diets.
• Ensures that lower-income children receive vaccinations and preventive medical care.
• Increases access to healthier food options, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Developing partnerships with local hospitals and clinics to spread awareness about the WIC program could increase participation among eligible people and combat misconceptions about WIC. 

Key strategies to improve the success of the WIC program include:

• Publicizing eligibility for the WIC program to a diverse audience.
• Addressing transportation limitations to WIC centers.
• Addressing cultural and language barriers.
• Providing culturally appropriate dietary options. 
• Improving the WIC clinical experience.
• Simplifying the WIC shopping experience.

Healthy People 2030 has a number of goals related to nutrition in children, including:

• Eliminating very low food security among children.
• Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among people age 2 and older.
• Reducing household food insecurity and hunger.

Carlson, Steven, and Zoë Neuberger. WIC Works: Addressing the Nutrition and Health Needs of Low-Income Families for More Than Four Decades. Policy Futures. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, January 27, 2021. https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/wic-works-addressing-the-nutrition-and-health-needs-of-low-income-families.

Courtenay Kessler, Andrew Bryant, Kate Munkacsy, Sophia Maxson, Daniel Ressler, Rashi Saluja, and Kelsey Farson Gray. “National- and State-Level Estimates of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Eligibility and WIC Program Reach in 2023.” U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (December 2025). https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/wic-eer2023-report.pdf.

Henchy, Geraldine. Making WIC Work Better: Strategies to Reach More Women and Children and Strengthen Benefits Use. Washington, D.C.: Food Research & Action Center, May 2019. https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/Making-WIC-Work-Better-Full-Report.pdf.

Nianogo, Roch A., May C. Wang, Ricardo Basurto-Davila, Tabashir Z. Nobari, Michael Prelip, Onyebuchi A. Arah, and Shannon E. Whaley. “Economic Evaluation of California Prenatal Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to Prevent Preterm Birth.” Preventive Medicine 124 (July 1, 2019): 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.04.011.

Thomas, Margaret M. C., Daniel P. Miller, and Taryn W. Morrissey. “Food Insecurity and Child Health.” Pediatrics 144, no. 4 (October 1, 2019): e20190397. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0397.