The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) plays a critical role in supporting the health and well-being of Pennsylvania families.
The Thriving PA campaign released 2026 state and county fact sheets with new, comprehensive data on participants in the WIC program.
As of February 2026, more than 174,000 women, infants, and young children are enrolled in WIC across the state. However, more than 120,000 additional eligible individuals are not participating, highlighting an important opportunity to expand access to vital nutrition and health services.
WIC provides essential support to pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children by offering nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, and connections to health care and community resources. Currently, the program reaches about 58% of those eligible, with participants including infants, children up to age five, and both pregnant and postpartum women.
Efforts at the state level, supported by Thriving PA, are underway to make WIC more accessible and responsive to families’ needs. This includes simplifying enrollment, expanding eligibility, increasing cultural competency, and modernizing services such as telehealth and future online benefit cards.
Despite these efforts, the Trump Administration’s budget proposal to cut federal funding for WIC would put health and food security at risk for many low-income families with infants and toddlers.
Thriving PA will continue advocating for a strong WIC program by increasing investments, raising awareness, and reducing barriers to ensure more families get the strong, healthy start they deserve.