Advocacy Toolkit
WIC is at a turning point, as policymakers consider how best to adapt WIC’s effective nutrition intervention to meet the challenges of the next generation. Advocacy is one of the greatest ways we can leverage our collective voice and move WIC forward. Advocacy is defined as support for a particular program, cause, or policy. That support can manifest in different forms of advocacy with varying levels of engagement. While NWA’s Public Policy Team advocates for WIC to policymakers, policymakers want and need to hear directly from their constituents and the WIC providers who can attest to how WIC impacts the communities they represent.
There are two main types of advocacy: public education and lobbying.
- Public education is the foundation of advocacy and can help lay the foundation for WIC policies. By educating policymakers on WIC in your district, you can share your personal experiences delivering or receiving WIC, the implications of certain policies, and the successes and challenges in your clinic.
- Lobbying is a form of advocacy that seeks to influence the outcome of a specific piece of legislation.
Below are several resources that can help prepare you to engage with policymakers and lift up your own WIC voice. These resources are complemented by additional pages on Action Central that provide targeted resources based on issue area – including appropriations, Child Nutrition Reauthorization, and different USDA rulemaking opportunities.
WIC providers and participants truly have the power to influence WIC policy. YOU are the expert on WIC in your district.