The ultimate guide about the WIC program

WIC is a special health care program for Women, Infants, and Children. It provides nutrition as well as health care to women, breastfeeding women, and pregnant women. It is also open for children who are under five years of age. The children and women who get these facilities come under the category of low income. This program is conducted by the federal government and subsidized by United States Agricultural Department.

If you or you’re close to someone who comes under the category of low income, you can suggest this program. All they will need to do is search about WIC near me. They will get the list of centres near their place where they can visit. Let us find below more details of the program.

Eligibility Criteria

To get the benefits of the WIC program there are mainly four criteria.

1. Categories: the WIC programme is mainly reserved for women. Women who are pregnant, on- breastfeeding postpartum, or breastfeeding women. It also focuses on benefiting infants, children who come under the age of five years. Even the guardians that are the sole caretaker of the children are also considered eligible for this program. These guardians may include grandparents, foster parents, and solo fathers as well.
2. Income: Income is yet another eligibility criterion for the WIC program. Any women or a parent who falls under an income below 185% as per the guidelines of the U.S poverty income system are eligible for the program.
3. Residential:The women, Infants, or children who want to apply for the WIC program should be residents of the same state in which he or she is applying for WIC. The residence of another state is not eligible for assistance in a particular state.
4. Risk of nutrition:Once all the criteria are met the nutritional risk valuation takes place. This assessment is taken by the nurse, physician, or nutritionist. According to the valuation of the nutritional risks the women, infants, or children get assistance for their nutrition and health concerns. 

Places to apply for WIC

Application for the WIC program can be done at many places. Below are the places where it is possible to apply for the WIC program.

• Schools: It is one of the common places allowed for the application of the WIC program. Children or their parents can easily visit their nearby school that is open for application of WIC and apply for the same.
• Hospitals:  The place where women or children can apply for the WIC program in the hospital. Many hospitals allow the application for WIC programs.
• Mobile Clinics: you will also find some mobile clinics which accept applications for WIC programs. You can search about the same online and visit your nearby mobile clinic and get assistance for the same.
• Country health departments: You can also visit country health departments for filling the application for the WIC program.
• Community Centres: By visiting at community centres can also help fill the application for the program. They assist the people in filling the form and get the benefits.
• Public housing sites:  One can also visit public housing sites to fill the application for the WIC program and enjoy the nutritional and other health benefits.
• Migrant health centres:  Many health centres and camps that are built for the migrants also accept the applications for the WIC program. One can visit them and fill the form for the same.

Food items and other services offered by WIC

WIC offers food to eligible candidates. It includes food products that are rich in iron, calcium, protein, and Vitamins. They also provide other vital nutritional supplements. The other nutritional food products also include products such as breakfast cereals, milk, cheese, eggs, brown rice, whole wheat bread, canned fish, peanut butter, and legumes.

Other services offered by WIC include education to women regarding breastfeeding. They also provide them nutritional food items for free. They do the counselling of women for nutritional food and regular diet. They also provide various vouchers to the person who is eligible for the program through which he or she can avail of the WIC-approved food supplements at a reasonable cost.

You can help needy people by making them aware of the program and the benefits as well.