Ready, Set Grow... with WIC
WIC is a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
A brochure is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) in several translations:
- English; Arabic; Bengali; Burmese; Chinese; Farsi; French;
Haitian Creole; Hindi; Italian; Karen; Korean; Nepali; Polish;
Russian; Spanish; Somali; Turkish; Urdu; Vietnamese; Yiddish
Find out if your family is eligible!
Who Is Eligible?
- Pregnant women
- Mothers of babies up to 6 months old
- Mothers of breastfeeding babies up to 12 months old
- Infants and children up to their 5th birthday
- Fathers and caretakers can apply for their children
WIC Provides
Nutrition Advice
- Learn how to make healthier food choices and become more active
- Nutritionists help you plan healthy meals
- Talk with other parents for support
Breastfeeding Support
- Trained breastfeeding experts
- Other moms who are trained to give breastfeeding support
- Breast pumps for moms who need them
- Special foods for moms who breastfeed
- Visit: breastfeedingpartners.org
Nutritious Foods
- Milk, cheese, yogurt, fresh vegetables and fruits, 100% juice, whole-grain pasta, rice, bread, cereal, formula eggs, baby food and more
Referrals to other services
- Breastfeeding experts
- Well baby and child care
- Medicaid
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Family planning
- Head Start
- Domestic violence
- Stop smoking
- Vaccinations
- Prenatal care
- Substance abuse
- Cancer prevention
To Qualify for WIC You Must:
- Live in New York State
- Meet rules on income limits or get benefits from Medicaid, SNAP or TANF
- Have a dietary need
Working Families Qualify
- Income limits may increase each year
- Visit: www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic/income_guidelines.htm to see if your family can qualify
You Can Receive WIC Even If:
- You are not a US citizen
- You or other household members are working
WIC and Children
- WIC food packages are designed to promote healthy weights
- Studies show that children who are in WIC do better in school
- Mothers who are in WIC are more likely to have babies with a healthy birthweight
Find a WIC Clinic Near You
- Visit: health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition wic/how_to_apply.htm
- Call: 1-800-522-5006 - The Growing Up Healthy Hotline
For information on other programs:
- 1-800-342-3009 for
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
- 518-486-1086 for
- School Food Service Program
- 518-473-8781 for
- Summer Food Service Program
- 1-800-548-6479 for
- National Hunger Hotline
- Whyhunger.org/find food