2024 National WIC Association (NWA) Annual Education and Training Conference
Pictured above (left to right): Dr. Jennie Hill, Dr. Allison Nitto, Dr. Betsy Anderson Steeves, Dr. Eric Calloway, Dr. Lisa Akers, Chelsea Hollowell, Sarah Kersten and Dr. Mayra Crespo-Bellido celebrating 50 years of WIC.
2024 National WIC Association (NWA) Annual Education and Training Conference
April 7-10, Chicago, Illinois
Attendees: Senior Research Scientist Dr. Betsy Anderson Steeves, Senior Research Scientist Dr. Allison Nitto, Adjunct Research Scientist Dr. Jennie Hill, Senior Research Scientist Dr. Eric Calloway, WIC Research Scientist Dr. Lisa Akers, WIC Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Mayra Crespo-Bellido, WIC Senior Project Manager Chelsea Hollowell and WIC Project Manager Sarah Kersten
Pictured above (left to right): Dr. Betsy Anderson Steeves, Sarah Kersten, Dr. Eric Calloway and Chelsea Hollowell watching the solar eclipse!
Presentations:
April 8
Exploring Vendor Perspectives on WIC Online Shopping (OS) Implementation: Experiences, Needs and Barriers
(Dr. Crespo-Bellido)Mixed-Method Evaluation of the COVID-19 Changes to the WIC Cash-Value Benefit for Fruits and Vegetables
(Dr. Nitto)WIC Online Shopping Updates: Improving the WIC Participant Shopping Experience
(Dr. Nitto)
April 10
Promoting Equity in WIC Online Shopping: Findings from the Pleasant Point Health Center Feasibility Study (Hollowell, Kersten)
Pictured above (left to right): Chelsea Hollowell and Dr. David Paige, the founder of WIC.
Pictured above (left to right): Dr. Allison Nitto and Dr. Mayra Crespo-Bellido at the NWA Annual Conference.
Main takeaways and highlights: WIC has changed significantly in the last 50 years. The NWA conference highlighted various initiatives focused on WIC innovation and modernization to better support WIC participants and their diverse needs. Center for Nutrition & Health Impact staff and their partners presented several sessions that focused on WIC online shopping solutions along with a session on WIC agency and participant experiences with the WIC fruit and vegetable changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.