WIC is Here For You During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, WIC is continuing to provide benefits via telephone for qualified women, infants and children. Appointments for new and existing participants are available at all WIC clinics. Call 509.324.1620 for information.
Federal stimulus checks for COVID-19 are not counted as income to determine qualification for WIC participation.
It is now easier than ever to use WIC.
- Benefits are loaded onto a WIC card for shopping at any participating WIC store. All benefits for the entire family are loaded on the card.
- The WICShopper app provides a variety of information to enhance your WIC experience. Track food benefits in real time, find new recipes, verify allowable foods and try new ideas for using WIC foods. You can download it for free from your app store.
- WIC has expanded the foods available for families. String cheese, fruit flavored yogurts and more cereals are among the many new foods added. Check the Washington WICShopper App for a complete update.
- Remember: each time you shop, save some for your neighbors and purchase only the foods that you need.
Program Overview
Quality nutrition services are the centerpiece of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program at Spokane Regional Health District. The program also offers breastfeeding education, free healthy foods, and help accessing other health care for low- and moderate-income women and children with, or at risk of developing, nutrition-related health problems.
Local services are part of a federal program with an extraordinary record of preventing children’s health problems and improving their health, growth and development. In Spokane County, WIC’s committed, results-oriented, and entrepreneurial staff stretch resources to serve all eligible women and children while ensuring program effectiveness and integrity. WIC children enter school ready to learn and show better cognitive performance.
Who is eligible and who can apply?
- Pregnant women
- Women who are breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age
- Women who have had a baby in the past six months
- Parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster parents of infants and children under the age of 5 can apply for their children
- If a person has a job or if he or she has private health insurance, they can still apply for WIC. A person does not have to be married to apply for WIC.
For more eligibility requirements, see below.
- Family member or child must be a Washington state resident
- To be eligible on the basis of income, applicants’ income must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines (currently $45,510 for a family of four).
Income Guidelines for WIC
| Household or family size* | Maximum annual income to qualify | Maximum monthly income to qualify | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $31,284 | $2,607 | |
| 3 | $39,461 | $3,289 | |
| 4 | $47,638 | $3,970 | |
| 5 | $55,815 | $4,652 | |
| 6 | $63,992 | $5,333 | |
| 7 | $72,169 | $6,015 |
*A household is defined as a group of related or non-related individuals, who usually, although not necessarily, are living together and share income.
**Gross income is income before taxes and deductions.
A person who participates or has family members who participate in certain other benefit programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, automatically meets the income eligibility requirement.
Ready to Enroll?
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and operated by
the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
USDA May 2016
6.9million total WIC participants to date
WIC Benefits
- Personalized nutrition education for you and your family through individual and group sessions.
- Freedom to redeem vouchers at most area retail grocers to obtain nutritious and wholesome foods.
- Access to certified registered dietitians for services such as individualized care plans for chronic diseases, including diabetes management.
- Access to certified lactation consultants for targeted breastfeeding support to reach breastfeeding goals.
- Weekly breastfeeding support groups for pregnant and breastfeeding moms led by breastfeeding peer counselors.
- No-cost breastfeeding classes to prep families and anyone else in their social network for the arrival of baby and the adventure of breastfeeding.
- Continued support through the all stages of pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood.
Spokane family currently participating in the Spokane WIC program
“Almost half of all babies in Washington state are on WIC. ”
WIC is a place where families get healthy food and a lot more. WIC is for pregnant women, new and breastfeeding moms, and children under 5. WIC made a difference for over 255,000 women, infants and children in Washington in 2018.
What is WIC
WIC News
You can now use a WIC card to access benefits
WIC benefits are now loaded on the WIC Card for faster and easier checkout at the store. Buy only the foods you want each shopping trip. All family benefits are loaded on the same account (no more multiple checks in a family).
WIC Shopper application is available to sync with your WIC Card. Use this card to do the following:
- Scan foods to see if they’re allowed,
- Know exactly what benefits you have used and what you have left, and
- Notify the state if you think a food is WIC approved and you can’t buy it.
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sec, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 800.795.3272 (voice) or 202.720.6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Washington WIC does not discriminate.
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Access to Baby & Child Dentistry Program
Matches Medicaid-eligible children, ages 0-6, to a dentist for fluoride, exams, parent education and restorative care.