WIC: Who is Eligible?
WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) helps Wisconsin families. This includes dads and other caregivers. You must meet certain conditions to get WIC benefits.
Do I qualify?
To get WIC benefits, you must:
- Live in Wisconsin.
- Make a certain amount of money (See Table 1 below).
- Need help with health or nutrition.
- Have one of these apply to you:
- You are pregnant now or had a baby in the past six months.
- You are breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age.
- You care for a baby or child younger than 5 years of age.
You may be able to get WIC benefits if you already use one of these programs:
- BadgerCare Plus
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- FoodShare
- Foster care and Kinship Care
- Medicaid
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Wisconsin Works Program (W-2)
Try this WIC prescreening tool. Answer questions to see if you may be able to get WIC benefits.
What are WIC income guidelines?
Many working families are part of WIC. There are limits on how much money WIC families can make based on:
- Family Size—How many adults live with you? They can be relatives but don’t have to be. You often share money, food, and other things in your house with them.
- Gross Household Income—How much money do you make before taxes or deductions? This includes any money you make. For example:
- Job
- Child support
- Overtime
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Unemployment
Income guide
The WIC Income Eligibility Table (PDF) shows the most money your household can make and still get WIC benefits.
| Number of Person(s) in Household |
Gross Household Income | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Bi-weekly | Monthly | Annual | |
|
1 |
$484 | $967 | $2,095 | $25,142 |
| 2 | 652 | 1,303 | 2,823 | 33,874 |
| 3 | 820 | 1,639 | 3,551 | 42,606 |
| 4 | 988 | 1,975 | 4,279 | 51,338 |
| 5 | 1,156 | 2,311 | 5,006 | 60,070 |
| 6 | 1,324 | 2,647 | 5,734 | 68,802 |
| 7 | 1,492 | 2,983 | 6,462 | 77,534 |
| 8 | 1,659 | 3,318 | 7,189 | 86,266 |
| For each additional member add: | +168 | +336 | +728 | +8,732 |
Notes:
- The WIC Income Eligibility Table is valid from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023.
- Your employer can fill out a WIC Nutrition Program Employer Statement, F-40076, if needed. This form shows proof of your income if you don’t get a normal paycheck.
- Your local WIC office can answer any questions about income.
What can I expect when I apply for WIC?
If you think you qualify for WIC, contact your local WIC Office. They will schedule your first appointment at the clinic. All WIC participants must attend.
WIC staff will look at your health and nutrition. This is called a screening. Screenings often include:
- Height and weight
- Questions about your health and diet
- A finger stick to see how much iron is in your blood
Anything you share with the WIC staff is private. WIC staff will ask you to state your race and ethnicity. This is for WIC records. It does not affect your WIC application.
WIC staff will not ask about your immigration status. You don’t have to be a legal resident of the U.S. to get WIC benefits.
What do I bring to my first WIC appointment?
You must bring some documents to your first WIC appointment. These include:
Proof of identity (ID)
You must show an ID for you and each child getting WIC benefits. IDs can include:
- Alien card
- Birth certificate
- Driver’s license
- Hospital ID or proof of birth, like hospital discharge papers, crib card, or wrist band
- Military ID
- Passport
- Tribal ID card
If you do not have any of these forms of ID, talk to your WIC office.
Proof of address
You must prove that you live in Wisconsin. Proof of your address can include:
- Current utility bill with a street address (Not a P.O. box)
- A rent or mortgage receipt
Proof of income
You must bring proof of any money you and the people you live with make. This can include:
- A letter showing that you are in one of these programs:
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- FoodShare
- Foster care and Kinship Care
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Wisconsin Works Program (W2)
- Pay stubs from the last 30 days. For example:
- 4 pay stubs if you get paid each week
- 2 pay stubs if you get paid every other week
- 1 pay stub if you get paid each month
- Proof of other income. This includes:
- Child support o Social security
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Unemployment
Proof of pregnancy (if pregnant)
If you are having a baby, you can bring:
- A letter from your doctor
- An ultrasound with your name and date on it
Do not bring a home pregnancy test.
What happens if I am approved for WIC?
If you are approved to get WIC benefits, you will get an eWIC card. This card lets you buy healthy foods from the grocery store. You will talk with WIC every three months to:
- Find out where you can get health care and help for other things your family may need.
- Get more foods benefits.
- Learn about nutrition.