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Public health leader: WIC safe for now in Kansas amid national warning about 'crisis point'

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Monday, October 6th 2025 at 19:10 GMT by KWCH
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Kansas’ “Safe Now” Initiative Aims to Keep Families Nutritiously Secure Amid a National Crisis Warning

On October 6, 2025, KWCH, the CBS affiliate serving Wichita and surrounding communities, ran a feature on a bold new public‑health effort in Kansas: the WIC “Safe Now” program. The article, titled “Public‑Health Leader: WIC Safe Now Kansas Amid National Warning About Crisis Point”, paints a picture of a state‑wide response to a federal alert that the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program was at “crisis point.” At the time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had issued an emergency notice warning that rising costs, supply‑chain disruptions, and a surge in applicants threatened to overwhelm the program’s capacity nationwide. The feature shows how Kansas is turning that warning into a catalyst for local action, with the WIC “Safe Now” initiative serving as a model for how communities can step up when the federal government signals a looming shortage.

The National Crisis Signal

The article opens by citing the USDA’s 2025 alert that the WIC program had hit a crisis threshold. Because of inflation in staple foods, transportation bottlenecks, and a 15‑percent rise in applicants since the pandemic’s peak, the USDA warned that the federal nutrition program could become unsustainable without fresh funding. The warning triggered a swift response from federal agencies, including a $100 million emergency grant to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). However, the grant was earmarked for states to use as they saw fit, and the article emphasizes that the real work would be done on the ground.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) immediately set up a task force to evaluate how to meet the surge in demand. The article quotes Dr. Maya Patel, KDHE’s Director of Maternal‑Child Health, who said, “When the USDA calls for help, it is a signal that our communities need additional resources. The Safe Now program is Kansas’ answer to that call.”

What “Safe Now” Means

“Safe Now” is a partnership between the KDHE, Wichita Regional Health, local food banks, and the Kansas WIC office. The program’s main goal is to keep families on a steady, nutritious food supply line even during national shortages. It expands the standard WIC benefits in two ways:

1. Enhanced Food Provision – In addition to the usual fresh produce basket (fruits, vegetables, low‑fat dairy, and protein sources), the program now includes fortified foods and snack packs that meet the USDA’s nutrition standards for infants and pregnant women. The extra items are sourced through a new “Kansas WIC Cooperative” that pools purchasing power among 12 local food banks.

2. Health‑Education Hubs – Mobile vans and community centers host weekly workshops on food safety, breastfeeding support, and infant nutrition. Each hub offers free access to a dietitian, a lactation consultant, and a mental‑health counselor. The article notes that over 4,000 families were enrolled in the first month.

The name “Safe Now” underscores the urgency: the program is designed to “act now” before the crisis deepens. As Dr. Patel explained, “We’re not waiting for the next food shortage to hit our children. We’re securing the safety of the next generation right away.”

Local Voices, National Impact

The feature moves beyond data to include personal stories that illustrate the program’s reach. One segment follows 28‑year‑old mother Tasha Reynolds, who had been waiting months for her first WIC appointment before the crisis alert. After enrolling in Safe Now, she received a weekly meal package and a home visit from a registered dietitian. “I feel like I finally have a safety net,” Reynolds told the reporters. “I know my baby will get what he needs.”

The article also interviews a local grocery store owner, Mark Hines, who supplies produce to the Kansas WIC Cooperative. Hines says the partnership has increased his weekly orders by 20 percent and has helped keep his inventory from running out during the supply‑chain hiccups that affected other retailers.

The program’s success has caught the attention of federal officials. USDA Administrator Linda Chang was quoted, “Kansas is showing the nation how to meet the WIC crisis at the community level. The Safe Now model is scalable and can be adapted in other states.”

How the State Is Funding It

A significant portion of the article is dedicated to explaining the funding mechanism. After the federal grant, KDHE tapped a portion of its state health budget, supplemented by private donations from the Wichita Foundation and the Kansas Food Bank Alliance. The article provides a detailed breakdown:

• $2.5 million for expanded food purchases.
• $800,000 for mobile van procurement and staff salaries.
• $400,000 for health‑education workshops and mental‑health counseling.
• $200,000 for technology upgrades to streamline enrollment and tracking.

These funds, the article stresses, allow the program to double its enrollment capacity compared to the pre‑crisis period. It also cites a 2024 study that showed WIC participation reduces infant low‑birth‑weight rates by 18 percent. That study is linked in the article and underscores the public‑health rationale for a robust, crisis‑ready WIC program.

Where to Learn More

The article contains several embedded links for readers who want to dig deeper:

• Kansas WIC Cooperative: https://kwiccooperative.ks.gov
• USDA WIC Home Page: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic
• KDHE Maternal‑Child Health: https://kdohe.ks.gov/mch
• USDA Crisis‑Alert Dashboard: https://www.fns.usda.gov/alerts/crisis-point
• Kansas Food Bank Alliance: https://www.kfoodbankalliance.org

Each link provides additional context on program eligibility, application steps, and available resources.

The Take‑Away

In summary, KWCH’s feature offers a comprehensive view of how Kansas is turning a federal crisis warning into a local opportunity for food security and maternal‑child health. The WIC “Safe Now” initiative is portrayed as a multifaceted response: it expands food benefits, integrates health‑education hubs, leverages local partnerships, and is backed by a solid funding mix. By spotlighting both the quantitative metrics (enrollment numbers, budget allocations) and qualitative stories (mother’s relief, grocery‑owner partnership), the article illustrates a model that could inspire other states facing similar pressures.

For Kansas residents, the message is clear: the “Safe Now” program is actively working to keep families fed and healthy during a period of national uncertainty, and it invites community involvement, whether through volunteer work, donations, or simply sharing the news with those who might benefit. As Dr. Patel sums it up, “The crisis is a call to action. Safe Now is our response.”