Federal shutdown leaves Michigan moms wondering: will WIC still work next week?

About 200,000 Michiganders rely on WIC for food, formula, and health care support. Now, the Trump administration is leaving families guessing how long those benefits will last.

MICHIGAN—The federal government has been in shutdown mode for over a week and one of the programs most at risk of running out of funding is one that’s helping feed Michigan babies and their mothers.

If Congress doesn’t reach a deal soon, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (better known as WIC) could run out of funding as soon as this week, putting benefits for more than 200,000 moms, pregnant women, and kids across Michigan on the chopping block.

If that happens, the Trump administration says it has a plan to temporarily prop up the program by using new revenues from tariffs. But key details—including how much money will be available for the program, when states will get it, and how long it will last—remain unclear.

What is WIC and who does it help?

The WIC program has supported Michigan families for nearly 50 years, providing food, breastfeeding support, and health referrals to moms, pregnant women, and children under 5.

A family of four may earn up to $59,478 per year and qualify for WIC.

All told, more than 200,000 Michiganders receive WIC benefits every year—including one in every two Michigan babies, according to a state webpage with statistics about the program.

Those benefits typically cover $54 to $237 worth of food each month, per person, and have been widely credited with improving birth outcomes as well as reducing long-term health costs. 

Local communities also benefit directly—to the tune of more than $120 million yearly—when WIC foods are purchased at local grocery stores and pharmacies, according to state officials. 

What’s happening?

With the federal government shuttered, the $8 billion WIC program is running out of money and there’s no concrete budget plan to keep it funded. A small, $150 million contingency fund keeping it afloat is expected to run dry before the end of the week.

Facing mounting criticism over the looming funding lapse, the Trump White House this week announced plans to use new tariff revenue to help keep WIC running during the shutdown.

“The Trump White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats’ political games,” a White House spokesperson posted on X.

But that plan raises more questions than answers. It’s still not clear whether the administration even has the legal authority to redirect tariff revenue—or how long the money would last.

“We have gotten no information about how much money would be available, when it would be available to states or what states would be able to use it for,” Ali Hard, policy director at the National WIC Association, which represents state nutrition agencies, told Politico this week.

In a recent statement, Georgia Machell, president of the National WIC Association, said the stopgap plan from the Trump administration may help temporarily, but it’s not a real solution.

“We welcome efforts to keep WIC afloat during the shutdown, but families need long-term stability, not short-term uncertainty,” she said. “We still don’t know how much funding this measure provides, how quickly states will receive it, or how long it will sustain operations.”

What’s next?

The Trump administration hasn’t released additional details about its stopgap funding plan. 

Michigan’s WIC offices are still open for now, but state officials are reportedly preparing for possible funding gaps if the shutdown continues.That could mean delayed payments to retailers or reduced benefits for families—especially if temporary funding runs dry before Congress acts.

For many families, WIC is a lifeline that helps them afford baby formula, milk, eggs, cereal, and fresh produce. Without it, local food banks and community organizations could see a surge in demand almost overnight. And the longer the shutdown drags on, the more it threatens to ripple through Michigan’s economy—especially for grocers and pharmacies that process WIC.

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