Shutdown won’t immediately affect state’s food program

Published 9:24 pm Friday, December 28, 2018

JACKSON (AP) — Officials say Mississippi has enough money to fund a food program for 95,000 mothers and young children through January despite the partial shutdown of the federal government.

The State Department of Health announced Thursday that it has already received enough money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to keep operating the Women, Infants and Children program, or WIC.

The program provides supplemental nutrition to women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or recently gave birth, as well as infants and children younger than five years old.

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State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says his department can make it through January, and maybe a few weeks into February. There’s been little action toward resolving the standoff over funding many federal agencies in recent days.

Mississippi distributes food and formula at 95 sites statewide.