New York State Department of Health Announces Temporary Increase to the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program’s Fruit and Vegetable Benefit under American Rescue Plan

WIC Participants Now Receiving $35 Per Month for Fruits and Vegetables

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 29, 2021) - The New York State Department of Health today announced a temporary increase in the state Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program's fruit and vegetable benefit, to $35 per participant. The American Rescue Plan Act, which President Biden signed into law in March, authorized state WIC agencies to enhance the WIC benefit for a period of four months.

"Families have faced so many challenges over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, including strains on their ability to purchase adequate healthy food," said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. "This temporary increase to purchase additional fruits and vegetables will provide much needed support to families facing food insecurity and will support all WIC families in better meeting their nutritional needs."

Under the enhanced initiative, the fruit and vegetable benefit has been expanded from $9/month for children and $11/month for women to $35/month per participant. WIC's vegetable and fruit benefit – known as the Cash Value Benefit (CVB) – was first introduced in 2007 as part of a decades-long effort by the National WIC Association (NWA) to increase the nutritional quality of WIC-approved foods. The CVB is credited with improving the dietary quality of WIC participants and reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity among WIC toddlers.

New York State began implementing the CVB increase June 1, 2021 and will continue until September 30, 2021.

For more information about WIC, visit https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic/. New York State residents can find out if they are eligible for WIC by going to www.signupwic.com.