Government Shutdown and Oregon WIC: Frequently Asked Questions

A government shutdown is when U.S. Congress doesn’t pass laws needed to fund government agencies and operations. When a government shutdown occurs, services that Congress considers “non-essential” may sometimes cease because there is no funding available for them. The longest ever government shutdown lasted just over a month. Sometimes, they only lasted a few hours.

While the U.S. government funds WIC, we know that Oregon WIC will operate as usual through November. We hope that the government shutdown ends before then, and that there will be no interruptions to benefits. This is a developing situation, and we will keep participants updated on how the government shutdown may affect WIC benefits as more information becomes available, including any temporary interruptions that occur.

For now, please keep appointments and use benefits as you normally would.

Yes, we are still booking appointments. It’s important to apply right away because it can take a few weeks to complete the process.

Your benefit card will continue working normally in November. If the government shutdown ends before the end of that month, your benefits will continue working as normal. If the government shutdown ends before then, your benefits will continue working as normal. If needed, we will share further updates throughout November.

Our WIC office will be open during regularly scheduled business hours. Call (541) 206-2610 for information.

Yes! We need all families to keep all of their appointments so services can continue uninterrupted.

WIC is a long-standing program that is still here for you.

We hope this won’t happen. But if it does, call 211 or visit the Oregon Food Bank’s website  to find support near you.