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WIC can help you and your children access healthy food.
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Despite the name, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is not only about nutrition. It also provides breastfeeding education and referrals to health and other services. According to the USDA, it helped around 6.2 million people in 2021, and specifically targets those who are at nutritional risk.
For many, the joy of bringing a baby into the world is unparalleled. But it can also bring financial and physical challenges, including an increased pressure on your bank account. For low-income families, WIC offsets a little of the burden by helping mothers and babies access healthy food.
How WIC works
While WIC is a federal program, it is operated at a state level, with 50 participating states and 33 Indian Tribal Organizations. Payments are almost always made via a WIC Electronics Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which recipients can use to pay for approved products.
There’s a strict list of WIC-approved foods, which may vary slightly from state to state and depend on what category you fall under. For example, the foods a pregnant woman can buy through WIC may be different from someone who’s breastfeeding, and a four-year-old will have different nutritional needs from those of an infant.
Approved foods include fortified cereals, fruit and vegetables, eggs, dairy products, whole grain bread, and other options. USDA is in the process of modernizing the types of food to make it more flexible and accommodate different dietary needs.
Eligibility requirements
WIC is open to women who are pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding. Infants are eligible until their first birthday, and children are eligible until their fifth birthday. In addition, the following requirements apply:
Income (until June 30, 2023): Your household income must fall at or below 185% of the poverty income guidelines. For a household of four, that would mean earning less than $51,338 a year in most U.S. states. If you or a family member receives SNAP, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, you may automatically meet the income requirement.Location: WIC is available throughout the country, but you must live in the state in which you apply.Nutritional risk: This encompasses both medical risks, such as anemia and pregnancy complications, and dietary risks, such as not getting enough food. You will need to speak with a health professional to determine your risk level, but the screening process is free.
If you’re not sure whether you might be eligible, check out the WIC prescreening tool. You can also contact your state WIC agency for more information on the process.
Changes to WIC income requirements
WIC uses the federal poverty threshold to calculate its income requirements, and these will change from July 1, 2023. As a result, the maximum income for WIC eligibility — calculated at 185% of the federal poverty guideline — will increase slightly.
WIC maximum income in most U.S. states (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024)
What to do if you don’t qualify
WIC is aimed at a very specific group of people and not everybody will be eligible. However, there are several other forms of food assistance available. The biggest federal anti-hunger initiative is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In 2021, the program helped over 41 million people, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Unlike WIC, SNAP eligibility requirements are broadly financial. Generally speaking, households need to earn less than 130% of the federal poverty line and there’s a limit on how much cash they can have in their savings account. SNAP recipients have more flexibility on how they can spend their benefits. It is possible to qualify for both SNAP and WIC at the same time.
Food pantries and soup kitchens also provide vital support for families who are struggling to put food on the table. Search online for food pantries in operation near you and find out more about how they operate. These are run by nonprofit organizations and you won’t have to provide any proof of income, but you may need to show ID.
Bottom line
Dr. Sara Bleich, USDA Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity says millions of eligible people don’t participate in the program, so if you’re a new mom it’s worth finding out if you could get this extra help. If you qualify, it can ease at least some of the financial stress of having a new baby and help give you and your child the nutrition you need.
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