Pima Board approves WIC gap funding during federal government shutdown

WIC — A home visit is facilitated by the Pima County Health Department’s Family Nurse Partnership program, where nurses conduct in-home visits to assess infants and young children.

PIMA COUNTY, (Nov. 5, 2025) – The Pima County Board of Supervisors at its Nov. 4 meeting voted 4-1 to provide interim funding to ensure uninterrupted services of the Pima County Woman, Infant and Children (WIC) Program during the ongoing federal shutdown.

Due to the federal shutdown, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) has stated that WIC food and formula benefits are currently available only through mid-November.

This agreement will enable the County to provide interim funding of $399,440, allowing infant food and formula benefits to be provided uninterrupted to more than 4,400 infants through the end of November.

County Administrator Jan Lesher said the funding won’t be tapped if the government shutdown is resolved. If the interim funding is utilized, Lesher said she expects the federal government will reimburse the County for the interim financing it allotted.

WIC is a federal program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides supplemental nutrition for women, infants, and children. It also offers breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and other services to support new mothers and families.

The Board also heard from advocates from regional food banks and refugee resettlement agencies about the increased demand for nutritional support resulting from the federal shutdown and changes in federal law that have reduced available funds.

The Board voted 4-1 to bring the issues back at the first meeting of December. It tasked the County Administrator with determining what funding might be available to assist community agencies and devising a system for awarding those funds.