TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has received additional federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to keep the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) operational into March, during the Federal Government shutdown.

On Thursday, KDHE received an additional $1,603,809 in food funds and $602,897 in administrative funds. These funds now allow Kansas to purchase foods until March 20, 2019 and keep staff operational until March 26.

“We are pleased to receive these additional funds,” said David Thomason, Director of the Nutrition and WIC Services Section in the KDHE Bureau of Family Health. “There is an average daily food cost in Kansas of $92,134 under this program, and we continue to work with the USDA to see that WIC funding in Kansas continues through the shutdown.”

The USDA monitors state WIC programs and is working to ensure that programs remain operational. States were instructed to contact the USDA prior to implementing any changes to the program that would curtail operations or in any way limit or restrict access to the program and its benefits.