Critical Week for CVB Increase and Extending Govt. Funding
Yesterday the Senate blocked a continuing resolution that would have extended federal funding levels for WIC (and continued the WIC CVB increase) and other programs through December 3, 2021, and avoid a government shutdown. Now Congress has just a few days to put together an agreement to raise the debt limit to avoid that outcome.
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PUMP for Nursing Mothers ACT - Week of Action! |
This week, the House will vote on the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, which would help close the coverage gap in employees that are guaranteed access to reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space to pump during the workday, building on initial protections offered through the Affordable Care Act in 2010. The bill is expected to benefit an additional 9 million workers. Join us this week alongside the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee for a PUMP Act Week of Action by calling, tweeting, and emailing your Representative in the House and asking them to "vote YES for the PUMP Act.” |
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SNAP Recipients to See An Increase In Benefits Beginning Friday |
On Friday, SNAP participants will begin to see an increase in their benefits due to recent revisions of the Thrifty Food Plan. In August, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the SNAP program benefits would rise more than 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels, with an average benefit increase of $36 per person, the largest permanent increase in the program's history. |
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HHS Announces $350 Million to Strengthen Maternal and Child Health Across the Nation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced nearly $350 million in awards to every state across the nation to support safe pregnancies and healthy babies. Funding will expand home visiting services to families most in need, increase access to doulas, address health disparities in infant deaths, and improve data reporting on maternal mortality. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded these funds.
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AB 123 Awaits Governor's Signature |
AB 123 would gradually increase the percentage of wages replaced when a Californian takes paid family leave from at least 60% to 70% to 90% of a worker’s highest quarterly earnings in the past 12 months. It's currently on Governor Newsom's desk. Right now, lower-income workers often can't afford to take the paid family leave that they're entitled to. Call the Governor’s office and urge him to sign! 916-445-2841 |
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SB 95 Leave Expiring on Thursday |
In some parts of California, COVID-19 infection rates are even worse than they were during last winter's surge, yet worker protections are set to come to an end on September 30th. We need these protections for our workplaces and communities to stay healthy and safe.
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Join us for our next Wellness Competition Oct. 11– Nov 5!
The CWA Well WIC Worksite Challenge will be a 4-week exercise challenge. The categories will be weekly with a weekly winning team announced:
- Week 1, Oct. 11-15: Squats Squats and More Squats Challenge
- Week 2, Oct. 18-22: Wall Sits for WIC
- Week 3, Oct. 25-29: Push-up Power Challenge
- Week 4, Nov. 1-5: Plank Anywhere Challenge
Please sign your team of 6 (or less) up here. If you need accommodations, please let us know. The prizes available each week are One-stop-snack-shops filled with healthy snacks, a cash box, and a how-to on starting your very own self-service fundraising project for your agency. Email Jodi with questions.
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WIC Wellness Wednesdays!
Please join us tomorrow 9/29, 12:00-12:45pm, and through the end of the year for a once/month session with Dr. Tony Gryffin. Tony will be teaching the Portable Peace Practices Session Two: Enhancing Alignment and Relieving Back Strain. Tai chi has been identified as an easy and practical enhancement for enhancing balance and reducing risk of falls. This session will focus on shifting weight between movements, with a particular focus on balance. Register here.
Additionally, please join us on October 6, from 12:30-1:00pm for a Yoga Nidra Guided Meditation/Mid-Day Stress Reduction exercise with Rachel Van Cott from Santa Cruz County WIC. Rachel will provide a short guided meditation including a gentle breathing practice, to help reduce stress and restore balance to the body and mind. Register here.
All WW sessions are open to WIC agencies and community partners.
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Pfizer Submits Vaccine Trial Data for Children to FDA |
Pfizer and BioNTech said Tuesday that they have submitted initial data to the Food and Drug Administration from their vaccine trial on children between 5 and 11 years old. Their trial, which included 2,268 participants from that age group, yielded “positive topline results.” The companies said their coronavirus vaccine has “demonstrated a favorable safety profile” among young participants and “elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses using a two-dose regimen.”
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Fruit and Veg Intake Linked to Kids' Mental Health |
New research finds that children who eat more fruit and veg have better mental health. The study is the first to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intakes, breakfast and lunch choices, and mental wellbeing in UK school children. Researchers found that the types of breakfast and lunch eaten by both primary and secondary school pupils were significantly associated with wellbeing.
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Antibodies in Breastmilk Remain for 10 Months After COVID-19 Infection |
Lactating parents who have been infected with Covid-19 continue to secrete virus-neutralizing antibodies into their milk for up to 10 months, data suggests. Besides emphasizing the important role breastfeeding could play in helping to protect infants from the disease, researchers believe that such antibodies could be used to treat people with severe Covid-19, preventing their condition from getting worse.
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Lead Exposures in Children Persist |
More than half of children under 6 years old in the U.S. had detectable lead levels in their blood, with exposures much higher from children in communities with pre-1950s housing or with public insurance or high poverty rates, a new study found.
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Childcare Workers are Quitting for Higher-Paying Jobs |
Childcare workers are leaving for positions that are higher-paying (though still not highly paid), such as retail and administrative jobs. Data indicates the workforce is down 126,000 workers. Parents are struggling to return to work as they face daycare and after-school care opening shortages.
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Children's Weight Gain During the Pandemic |
A Kaiser study, using a subset of health records, found that children gained excessive weight during the pandemic, with the 5-11 age group gaining the most. The increase in overweight or obesity for the younger children increased from 36.2% to 45.7%.
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Healthy Ways to Use Pumpkin This Fall |
When you think Halloween, you might think candy...but pumpkin is also a seasonal treat, and packed with nutritional value! Check out all the good stuff in pumpkins, and get some ideas for how to eat more of it this season! |
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Affordable Housing
Affordable housing provides more than just shelter. It can positively impact child development, education, mental and physical health, and other social and economic factors. WIC Can Help by referring families to local resources for rental assistance, subsidized housing, foreclosure prevention, and other ways to keep a roof over their heads.
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Support CWA online!
As a nonprofit membership organization, CWA relies on the contributions of many organizations and individuals to help us achieve our mission. There are many ways to give of your time, talents, or resources to help CWA promote healthy families, strong communities, and bright futures! We appreciate all forms of support and invite you to join us!
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California WIC Association www.calwic.org
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