The West Virginia Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) announces its collaboration with WIC programs in Rhode Island and Connecticut to increase equitable access to online shopping options for participants in all three states.

West Virginia, Rhode Island and Connecticut’s effort has been chosen as one of five selected projects to receive funding from the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact, made possible through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The project aims to enhance and modernize WIC participants’ shopping experience through a planning project, which will identify WIC-authorized vendors to participate in a curbside pickup model.

“We are overjoyed to be a part of this initiative to meet the needs of families not just here in West Virginia, but also in Rhode Island and Connecticut,” said Heidi Staats, Director of the Office of Nutrition Services. “We are always looking for ways to better serve those who utilize our programs and I can think of no better way to do so than by bridging gaps in food access.”

Each state plans to conduct surveys with their local WIC-authorized vendors to gauge their interest in pursuing a WIC online shopping project and understand their needs during that transition if they decide to do so. Additionally, project teams will conduct listening sessions with partners and subject matter experts to determine program participants’ needs, wants and shopping habits to create well-rounded offerings. Upon completion of their project, West Virginia, Rhode Island and Connecticut will develop an implementation plan containing information on a budget, project timeline, contract drafts and next phases.

Rhode Island will serve as the lead WIC state agency for this project. For more information and project status updates, visit WIC Link: Bridging Food Access through Online Innovation — WICShop+ (wicshopplus.org).