PHFE WIC, a program of Heluna Health, was recently selected as one of eight new recipients of a Healthy Eating Research grant. The grants are supporting studies across a range of nutrition programs, focused on examining impacts from recent policy changes. With Shannon E. Whaley, PhD, Director of Research and Evaluation, at the helm, PHFE WIC’s project will focus on an issue that sits at the heart of public health nutrition: the future of the WIC Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables.
Over the past decade, the CVB has been one of WIC’s greatest successes, dramatically expanding access to fruits and vegetables for women and young children. This project will trace the history of this benefit, examine the existing evidence on how changes to the CVB have influenced diet quality, food security, and participation in the WIC program, and model the potential consequences if proposed reductions to the benefit were to move forward.
The project arrives at a critical moment. The CVB has helped WIC families afford more fresh produce and make meaningful improvements in their diets. As policymakers weigh decisions that could scale back this support, PHFE WIC’s research will provide much-needed clarity on what those changes might mean for the health and well-being of families who rely on WIC. The impact of this project is especially significant for PHFE WIC as the largest WIC network in the nation, serving more than 190,000 women, children, and families each month.
By documenting the CVB’s impact and projecting the effects of future policy shifts, this research will offer powerful, evidence-based guidance to leaders, advocates, and communities working to protect equitable access to healthy foods. It’s an important step toward ensuring that every family supported by WIC continues to have the resources they need to nourish themselves and their children.
Click here to read more about the Health Eating Research Grantees
