WELFARE
What are the eligibility requirements to apply for WIC?
The federally funded programme aims to improve the health and nutrition of low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children.
WIC stands for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, providing eligible participants with specific nutritious foods, nutrition education, counseling, and support for breastfeeding. The programme focuses on promoting healthy eating habits, preventing nutrition-related health problems, and ensuring proper growth and development in children.
WIC participants receive vouchers or electronic benefit cards (EBTs) that can be used to purchase a variety of healthy food as well as nutrition education and counseling at WIC clinics. Being a part of the programme also includes screening and referrals to other health, welfare and social services.
The programme serves 53 percent of all infants born in the United States.
Who is eligible to receive the support?
To qualify for WIC, you must meet the following criteria.
You must fall into one of the following categories:
- Pregnant women (during pregnancy and up to six weeks after giving birth or after pregnancy ends)
- Postpartum women who are not breastfeeding (up to six months after giving birth)
- Breastfeeding women (up to the infant’s first birthday)
- Infants (up to their first birthday)
- Children (up to their fifth birthday)
You must be a resident of the state where you are applying for WIC. Generally, you need to live in the state where you apply and intend to remain there.
There are two ways to be eligible for the programme through income. The first is having income below the limit of 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The second is an automatic eligibility if you are involved in this list of programmes.
- eligible to receive SNAP benefits, Medicaid, for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, formerly known as AFDC, Aid to Families with Dependent Children),
- In which certain family members are eligible to receive Medicaid or TANF, or
- at state agency option, individuals that are eligible to participate in certain other state-administered programs.
Prior to joining the programme, you or your child must be checked to determine any “nutrition risks” by a healthcare professional. This assessment involves evaluating your health and dietary history to identify potential nutrition-related issues. An applicant must have at least one of the medical or dietary conditions on your state’s list of WIC nutrition risk criteria.