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Zonta USA Advocacy Action Center

Zonta International is a global organization of individuals dedicated to building a better world for women and girls. The Zonta USA Advocacy Action Center is a tool for our members in the United States and other individuals who share our commitment to gender equality to take action to improve the lives of women and girls. With your help, we can make a difference. In addition to the actions below, click here to support our joint efforts with UNICEF USA to end child marriage in the United States.


Improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for WIC recipients
The supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk.While the WIC program has proven to be one of the most successful and cost-effective nutrition intervention programs, it must be strengthened and modernized. The bipartisan Farm Fresh Food for Families Act (S. 643) has been introduced by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) to help families nationwide have access to freshly grown food at farmers markets.

This bill is a crucial and necessary step for improving the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and increasing access to fresh and healthy foods to families who would not normally have funds to purchase these products. These improvements will further establish partnerships between farmers and WIC families and return investments directly to the local farm economy. “With the success we have seen with technological innovations at farmers markets in multiple states, it is paramount that we streamline FMNP processes and adopt new technologies so that more states can join the program and more families can access healthy foods,” says Dr. Jamila Taylor, President and CEO of the National WIC Association.

WIC FMNP provides millions of servings of fruits and vegetables to women and children as well as millions of dollars in sales directly to American farmers. In 2019, the WIC FMNP benefited more than 15,000 farmers, 2,400 farmers’ markets, and 2,150 road stands nationally. Access to healthy, fresh, local food for low-income families will have a tremendous impact on communities across the country. These low-income families are most affected by disproportionate rates of chronic illnesses, and having the ability to purchase these foods could make a difference in their lives. 

“This bipartisan legislation expands opportunities for families to bring healthy meals to their kitchen table! When we can support our farmers, farmers’ markets, and increase access to healthy, nutritious choices for our kids and young families, it’s a win-win,” said Sen. Ernst, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Please use our pre-drafted letters to urge your senators to co-sponsor and support the Farm Fresh Food for Families Act. If they have already sponsored or co-sponsored the bill, you can send a message of thanks.

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