Glendale News-Press: Friedman Tours WIC Site Amid Shutdown
U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman toured the Van Ness PHFE WIC center in her district last week, one of two WIC agencies serving thousands of pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women as well as children under 5 years of age in the area.
The center, located at 5940 Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles, continues operating during the government shutdown. During her tour, Friedman heard from WIC administrators and staff who explained the services offered by WIC during the shutdown, as well as what is at stake should funding for the vital program run out.
"WIC is a shining light for so many Americans struggling who are still waiting on their SNAP benefits and other nutrition aid. I'm grateful to the dedicated Americans like the ones working in my district for being there to get women and children get the support they need," Friedman said. "In Congress, I'll keep fighting to bring an end to this shutdown while protecting access to affordable healthcare alongside critical resources like SNAP and WIC."
According to data provided by Friedman's office, 10,312 Los Angelenos are served in District 30 alone. More than 1 million Californians rely on WIC, 611,543 of which are children. Nearly 50% of all infants born in California are enrolled in WIC by age 1. WIC supports families with healthy food, nutrition tips, expert guidance on infant feeding and more.
WIC centers like PHFE WIC remain open and available to help families in-person or remotely in a variety of languages during the shutdown. However, recipients of WIC also often qualify for SNAP/CalFresh and Medi-Cal/Medicaid, programs are at risk due to the government shutdown. Friedman has been working to bring all parties to the negotiating table and reopen the government while protecting access to affordable healthcare, SNAP and more.