Currently, many low- and even middle-income families live in areas without full-service grocery stores, which means they have to travel miles to purchase fresh produce and other healthy foods. If approved, the change could make a huge difference to low-income families. Currently, they must make purchases using these benefits in person at bricks-and-mortar stores.
WIC participants either receive monthly checks or vouchers or use an electronic benefits transfer card, known as an EBT, to purchase food. This proposal stems from a December 2021 executive order in which President Joe Biden called on government agencies to improve the experience of people who are served by their programs, including by delivering services “in a manner that people of all abilities can navigate.” The administration is accepting public comment on the proposal through May 24. “We agree with WIC participants and stakeholders - online grocery shopping and ordering is essential for busy Americans,” said Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for the Agriculture Department’s Food and Nutrition Service, or FNS, in a USDA statement. “After the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, advocates pushed for online access for the government’s WIC program due to the difficulties of in-person shopping.
