Free nutrition benefits, health screenings, and support for parents and young children
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program offers free nutrition services to support Washington families. The services are available to people who are pregnant or recently gave birth, and to infants and children under age 5. Dads, grandparents, foster parents, and anyone raising kids under five can apply for support for the kids in their care.
Many families in the Asian Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander American (ANHPIA) community are eligible for WIC but are not currently enrolled. Washington WIC is committed to ensuring ANHPIA families receive the full support they deserve during pregnancy and early childhood. Washington WIC also supports families who are new to the United States. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to participate, and WIC does not collect immigration or social security information.
The Impact of WIC
Research shows that WIC participation improves the health of enrolled parents and children. Families in WIC are more likely to start their prenatal care early, have full-term pregnancies and healthier birthweights, and stay up to date on vaccinations and checkups. WIC supports families in getting perinatal care, nurturing food, and other resources through trusted, person-centered care and referral services.
What WIC Offers
Families approved for WIC receive monthly food benefits that can be used at participating grocery stores, farmers markets, and local farm stands. These benefits cover nutrient-rich foods like eggs and milk, whole grain products, and fruits and vegetables like bananas, pummelos, bok choys, taros, and yams. It even covers tofu!
But WIC isn’t just about food. It also includes health screenings to monitor child growth and development, breast and chest feeding support, referrals to health care providers and social services, and more. WIC families often say this support makes a big difference in keeping their children healthy. One ANHPIA parent shared, “The support over the past five years has been so great. I’ve looked forward to WIC every month. My son loves the fruit we buy with our benefits.”
Easier Ways to Shop and Connect
The WIC program uses modern tools that make it easy to use your benefits. Our WICShopper app, used by 95% of families in the program, allows participants to find WIC-friendly stores and farmers markets near them, check their benefits in real time, and even scan products in-store to see if they’re eligible.
Families can also now use their WIC benefits to shop online at Walmart stores in Washington. Participants can choose delivery, pickup, or shipping — making it easier to shop on their schedule and buy healthy food even in areas with limited stores. There is no charge for pickup orders; delivery and shipping fees are not covered by WIC.
Find Out If You’re Eligible
If you’re pregnant, have a baby, or care for children under age 5, you may qualify for WIC. Most people who receive Apple Health/Medicaid, SNAP/Basic Food, or TANF are already eligible.
Visit doh.wa.gov/FindWIC to find a WIC clinic near you, or call 1-800-841-1410 for more information.
