LANSING, Mich. — At the Women's Center of Greater Lansing, Executive Director Rebecca Kasen sorts through a large donation that arrived just before closing time Monday.
- The federal WIC program helps 6 million low-income mothers and children nationwide.
- Michigan officials say the state's WIC program will remain open despite the federal shutdown.
- Local nonprofits are preparing to help fill gaps through mutual aid if federal funding runs out.
WATCH: LANSING NONPROFIT PREPARES FOR POTENTIAL WIC FUNDING CRISIS
"So some of the stuff we'll definitely use. I see a ton of purses and shoes," Kasen said.
She's hoping to find baby formula among the donated items.
"Somebody shows up here with boxes of formula I will make sure it gets to a mother who needs it," Kasen said.
Baby formula is one of the items covered by the federal Supplemental Nutrition Program called WIC — which stands for Women, Infants and Children. Funding for that program, which helps six million low-income mothers and children nationwide, could dry up in two weeks unless the shutdown ends.
WATCH: WHITE HOUSE THREATENS FEDERAL LAYOFFS AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ENTERS SIXTH DAY
"Everyone is stressing out everyday about what's happening next," Kasen said.
In 2022, WIC gave more than $133 million to help 300,000 women and children according to state data. The federal program is now running on a $150 million emergency fund.
Michigan's WIC website says the program will remain open despite the federal shutdown.
"37% of our clients are grant funded or general funds funded," Kasen said.
Kasen says some clients are worried about if their Medicaid will get cut. The center is considering hiring an employee solely to make sure their clients remain on Medicaid, but she worries that will take money away from other resources.
WATCH: MEDICAID, MEDICARE TEXT SCAM SCARES HUNDREDS DURING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
"There are a lot of concerns about people cut off from their Medicaid mostly over paperwork because now they're going to have to recertify I believe it was twice a year and that's something that they didn't have to do before," Kasen said.
Other nonprofit groups in the area are facing the same problem. The solution, she says, is to ride it out together.
"I'm texting my friends at other non-profits to see who needs it and there's always somebody who needs it," Kasen said. "The only way we're going to survive this crisis, and the crisis after that, and the crisis after that, is mutual aid."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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