Examining Facilitators and Barriers to Utilization of the Increased WIC Cash Value Benefit Among NC WIC Participants

Start Date: December 2021

ID #: CAS080

Organization: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Project Lead: Emily Duffy, MPH, RD

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Using COVID-relief funds, UDSA temporarily expanded the WIC FV cash value benefit (CVB) from $9-11 to ~$35/month/person for seven months, June – December 2021. The objective of this study is to use focus groups with a diverse group of WIC participants in North Carolina to examine barriers and facilitators to utilizing the temporarily expanded CVB, awareness of the CVB change, and the effectiveness of the increased CVB in alleviating food insecurity. The subrecipient will conduct 10 online focus groups of 6-8 WIC participating mothers: 5 in rural NC counties and 5 in urban NC counties (based on NC Rural Center definitions).

Resource Type: Commissioned Research Project Summary

State: North Carolina

Focus Area: Nutrition Policy & Programs

Age Groups: Pregnant women, infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 2), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5)

Keyword: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

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