10/17/2025
The Federal Governments shutdown terminated the flow of Women, Infant and Children (WIC) federal program monies which funded the state allocations to the counties to provide food and formula to infants, prenatal mothers and children up to age 4. This over 20 year old federal program currently provides food and formula funding to over 1853 County eligible infants, prenatal moms and children up to 4 years old. Statewide the WIC program serves 145,464 family members in Arizona. The cost for the eligible participants in Coconino County is approximately $200,000 a month and the program employees seven full-time employees through Health and Human services that distribute under the program and provide training and parental assistance, add an additional cost of $50,000 a month.  This program was immediately terminated once the federal government failed to pass a continuing budget, which prompted the state of Arizona to cover the costs for the month of October. However, all counties in the state have been notified that the state can no longer cover the cost of this program and its federal food coverage and the state informed the counties that WIC money would be terminated as of this November. The Coconino County Board of Supervisors, faced with the loss of this essential public program for our most vulnerable community members, committed to carry the cost for this program forward through November and December. It is hoped that the federal government will be open for business before the end of the year and will thereafter undertake its responsibility to provide funding for these essential and congressionally approved programs. Local government, with its very limited revenue sources, can only provide funding for this federal program for a limited time. For now, the County will carry this program to ensure a social safety net for infants, very young children, and their prenatal mothers. Together, we create a strong and resilient County.
