Earlier this week we were notified by the NYS Department of Health (DOH) that our five-year WIC refunding application was awarded and we will continue to provide the much-needed services to residents of Rensselaer County.

Sadly, the application for our WIC Vendor Management(VMA) program was not awarded.  We were heartbroken to hear the unexpected news of this grant decision after a successful twenty-year partnership with the state.  The effective date of this change is September 30, 2023, so the changes to our programming and staffing will not be immediate.

The WIC VMA program works directly with vendors and stores that provide WIC-approved food and formula for the Capital District and beyond and helps train vendors and monitor stores for inventory of needed WIC items. Our footprint for this program extends to 35 counties in NYS.  WIC VMA is separate from our WIC program, which directly services customers with nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and access to healthy food.

We have confirmed that DOH will consolidate the four agencies that operate WIC VMA Programs throughout NYS into one agency that will have a home base in the NYC area and offer two satellite locations, one in the Capital Region and the other in Central NY.

Supporting our WIC Vendor Management staff will be our top priority during this difficult time. Whether that be assisting them to explore other potential opportunities within CEO or with the newly awarded organization.

Further information on the program transition and community impact will be shared as we learn more in the coming months.