The Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN) WIC Program has officially reopened its offices and resumed full operations under its “WIC Back on the Road” initiative, following a temporary closure caused by the recent federal funding lapse.
Late yesterday, Wednesday, October 8, ITCN WIC received funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to sustain program operations through October 31, 2025. These funds, identified as recovery dollars that went unspent from Fiscal Year 2025, have allowed the program to immediately reactivate authorized vendors statewide and resume both in-person and remote appointments for families.
“We’re relieved to reopen our doors and continue supporting the families who depend on WIC,” said Blanca Plascencia-Reyna, MPH, ITCN WIC Program Director. “Our team worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth restart. However, the uncertainty around future funding remains deeply concerning — not just for ITCN, but for WIC agencies across the nation.”
Through its “WIC Back on the Road” reopening plan, ITCN WIC has fully restored clinic services, reinstated outreach visits to tribal communities, and resumed nutrition and breastfeeding support appointments statewide. The program serves 28 tribal communities and surrounding rural regions across Nevada, helping ensure equitable access to healthy foods and family-centered support.
OCTOBER 9, 2025:
Like many other programs, the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada's (ITCN) "Women, Infants, and Children" Program, or WIC, is losing funding due to the government shutdown, forcing them to pause its services.
The program's suspension will begin on Thursday, leaving hundreds of families without access to services. Employees will also be furloughed but are working with as many clients as possible before shutting their doors.
Julianne Debravander, Outreach Manager for the WIC Program, says, "A lot of our participants are obviously upset, and so they call and we reschedule them. We're already working on rescheduling after the suspension is lifted."
The program helps provide nutritional education, foods, and breastfeeding support to both tribal and non-tribal families across Nevada.
Debravander says this suspension will impact over 500 families who use their services, "In those rural communities and our tribal communities, it is already difficult for them to receive any type of nutritional resources out there. So, we provide that as well as giving them that education that they're looking for."
Debravander says staff are also being temporarily laid off and won't be able to work with vendors who partner with them and help with services.
She tells us clients who are getting their WIC cards suspended still need to hang on to them in order to access their benefits in the future.
"Benefits will stay effective after the suspension. So while they're on a temporary pause right now, once the suspension is lifted, benefits that they have in there, they'll be able to use, hence why they'll keep that card."
It is unknown exactly when the ITCN's WIC Program will resume since it depends on when the government reopens and resumes their funding.
In the meantime, Debravander says there's other local food aid programs people can lean on such as the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, local health care providers, and Nevada WIC.
"Some health care providers are willing to offer those samples, as well as we've been advised to Nevada WIC. They are still currently operating," says Debravander.
Once again, this suspension only applies to the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada's WIC Program. The National WIC Association is still up and running. However, it is also facing a potential shutdown as they begin to run low on money to stay afloat.
