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 into November. We hope that the government shutdown ends before then, and that there will be no interruptions to benefits. If the government shutdown continues past November, we will keep participants updated about what that means for their benefits.

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. To get the process going, submit an interest form here, or call 541-265-4163.  

Your benefit card will continue working normally into November. If the government shutdown ends before then, your benefits will continue working as normal. If needed, we will share further updates. 

Our WIC locations will be open during regularly scheduled business hours, which can differ depending on location. See our WIC page for specific details.

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(Link is external) to find support near you.