ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Those who use the government-funded program Women, Infants, and Children to provide formula and food to their children are in danger of losing assistance if there's a government shutdown.
And when Channel 9's Deneige Broom checked with the state to see how they're preparing, they told her they have no idea what's going to happen.
Tatiana de los Santos has a 6-month-old daughter. With the help of WIC nurses and support staff, de los Santos is helping her daughter work through teething pains, but a government shutdown would affect that help.
"(They help with) any questions that I have, any concerns about her health, about her eating habits," said de los Santos.
WIC is a federal program that helps families across the country buy healthy foods for their kids and teaches parents about proper nutrition.
Hundreds of people seek help with their newborns but some aren't sure where that assistance would go if there is a government shutdown.
Across Orange County, more than 34,000 people participate in WIC each month, but the federal program won't get any more money if the government shuts down. It could then be left up to each state to foot the bill.
"It freaks me out because I work a part-time (job) and I go to school full time and we basically depend on one income and three kids, so it's a lot, so this is a big, big break," said de los Santos.
Florida's Department of Health is still working through a contingency plan in case federal funds stop.
In Orange County each year, families receive about $28 million in WIC funds annually.
Orange County's monthly participation has averaged 34,084 from October 2012 to August 2013.
WFTV
