Key Takeaways
-9.3%
States that required families to reload WIC benefits in person or by mail (“offline states”) saw a 9.3% relative decline in participation during the first nine months of COVID-19, compared to “online states” where benefits were automatically reloaded.
Even seemingly minor barriers—like requiring in-person or mailed benefit reloading—substantially limited access to WIC during a period of heightened food insecurity.
Overview
Summary
This study assesses whether participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) differed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in states with offline vs online electronic benefits transfer debit cards.
