The federal shutdown puts nutrition aid for millions of new parents at risk

The federal shutdown puts nutrition aid for millions of new parents at risktoggle caption Courtesy of Lucia GravesThe federal shutdown won't impact benefits from major programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. But one of the first things that could get hit is the nutrition assistance that many pregnant women and new parents depend on. It was a big relief when a social worker said Graves was eligible for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, which is known as WIC. Beyond WIC, the country's much larger food aid program — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — is in better shape moneywise. Sponsor MessageDuring the last shutdown, "we did have people in suits waiting at food banks," Plata-Nino says.