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Action Alerts

October 2011

Dear Colleagues,

SB 502 has been SIGNED INTO LAW! This law establishes the Hospital Infant Feeding Protection Act which will require all general acute care and special hospitals that have a perinatal unit to have an infant-feeding policy and to clearly post that policy as of January 1, 2014.

There have been some other important victories for women and small children. Read more on First 5 LA's website.

We are excited about these victories, but there is always work to be done!

WIC is in trouble! The California WIC Association has written out the ways that you can help below!

 

ACTION REQUIRED:

From the CWA WIC Flash at www.calwic.org

WIC is in trouble. For the first time in 15 years, the program faces the prospect that there could be insufficient funding to support current and future participation. WIC Nutrition Services are also at risk of being slashed, threatening to derail efforts to modernize operations and destroy recent public health strides WIC has achieved.

WIC is vulnerable to cuts in both the Super Committee process, when everything will be “on the table.” Moreover, if the Super Committee fails to make a deal, and automatic, across-the-board cuts are implemented, WIC is not exempt! We must ensure that WIC is protected from these devastating cuts.

While scary, this scenario is not in any way inevitable. With your help, CWA will work strategically and aggressively to ensure that there is sufficient funding in the coming years to support both food and nutrition services. More than ever, it is essential to tell Congress why WE NEED WIC.

1. Get Informed. (Start now!)

Read the background materials and detailed plans linked below. Learn the key messages and targets. Figure out how you can help us with the Campaign over the next four months.

  • All Hands On Deck! a one-page summary of the WE NEED WIC Campaign to help you spread the word
  • WE NEED WIC Campaign Background: WIC funding dangers, strategy points, key messages, and action timeline
  • WIC WORKS Policy Briefs: critical information to help you persuade decision makers that WIC nutrition services funding makes a difference in the lives of WIC families and their communities

2. Write Congress. (by Nov. 7)

Write your members of Congress and our two Senators urging them to protect WIC! Use this template letter. Don't know who they are? Check your districts here.

3. Alert State Legislators. (by Nov. 14)

Email and call your local State Senate & Assembly members and encourage them to sign on to a letter urging Congress to protect WIC during upcoming deficit reduction proceedings.

4. Make a Video! (Oct. 24- Nov. 23)

Collect 30-second videos for the We Need WIC video campaign, and post them to the Campaign YouTube Site. These can be from staff, participants, grocers, medical providers – all of your community partners. Ask them to explain briefly why They Need WIC! CWA will make sure Congressional staff and members see the videos.

5. Run a Paper Plate Campaign (Oct. 24-Nov. 23)

Implement We Need WIC’s paper plate letter-writing campaign at your WIC center. Set up a table, explain the campaign, and ask WIC participants to write why they need WIC and sign their names. Ship them to: CWA, 1490 Drew Ave Ste 175, Davis CA 95618.  We will then personally deliver them to Congress!