Partnership with The Chickasaw Nation expands access to supplemental foods for WIC participants through online ordering and doorstep delivery

HOUSTON, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JPMA and Umoja Health, in partnership with The Chickasaw Nation WIC Program, launch a historic pilot that allows participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to shop for eligible foods online, place their orders electronically, and receive their groceries delivered directly to their homes.

Powered by WICShopper Online, the pilot offers a more convenient and accessible alternative for families who face transportation, mobility, or geographic barriers to shopping at brick-and-mortar, WIC-authorized retailers.

“Online grocery shopping has become commonplace, and WIC participants deserve access to the same convenient shopping options available to other consumers,” said Heidi Staats, Director of WIC Innovation and Partnerships at Umoja Health.  “Through WICShopper Online, JPMA and Umoja Health are helping State Agencies reach families in rural and underserved communities while creating new online shopping and home delivery opportunities for small, independent, minority- and tribal-owned retailers.” 

Finding WIC-approved products, navigating out-of-stock items and feeling embarrassed at checkout are among the challenges participants cite most often. Traditional WIC shopping and delivery models also generally require participants to shop at an authorized retailer and redeem benefits in person, including entering a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in the presence of a cashier. These requirements can create significant barriers for families with limited mobility or those who live far from participating stores.

WICShopper Online streamlines the shopping experience by allowing participants to identify eligible foods, build an online order, redeem their WIC benefits, and schedule home delivery.  The model is designed to improve convenience, privacy, safety, and equitable access to nutritious foods while complementing the existing WIC retail system.

“WICShopper is trusted by over 1.4 million families each month for shopping assistance, and this pilot brings that same trust and reliability to online ordering,” said Ryan Magee, President of JPMA. “By extending the experience to online ordering and home delivery, we’re clearing the way for families to access the full nutritional benefits WIC provides.”

WIC is a federally funded nutrition program administered by State Agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations throughout the United States and its territories.  The program serves pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum individuals, infants and children up to age five who are determined to be at nutritional risk.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, WIC served approximately 6.8 million participants each month in fiscal year 2025, including an estimated 41% of all infants in the United States.

To learn more about WIC and find information about applying for benefits, go to https://signupwic.com.

About Umoja Health

Umoja Health is a mission-driven national leader in food, nutrition, and health, working to ensure that geography, income, and circumstance do not limit a person’s ability to live a healthier life. Through its Food For Health, Nutrition Security Solutions and Government Solutions divisions, Umoja delivers Food Is Medicine programs, nutrition education, member engagement and whole-person health solutions; strengthens food-access programs for community-based organizations; and helps government agencies modernize WIC and child nutrition programs. This work is supported by extensive experience in food and logistics and a nationwide distribution network that reaches people in every community, including the most rural and remote areas. Meaning “unity” in Swahili, Umoja reflects an integrated approach that combines expertise, strategic partnerships, innovation and infrastructure to expand access to quality food and better health for all. Learn more at UmojaHealth.com.

About JPMA

JPMA has been providing technology solutions to modernize WIC and help participants succeed in the program for over 20 years. JPMA created WICShopper, the most widely used WIC participant mobile application, used by 36 WIC state agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations to serve more than 1.4 million families who shop with the app nearly 7 million times each month. JPMA’s solutions also include WICShopper Online, an online shopping solution supporting WIC food benefit redemption, and WICSmart, a collaborative nutrition education eLearning platform, and SFMNP – an app for participants of the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Learn more at JPMA.com.

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SOURCE Umoja Health