Essex County Public Health

132 Water Street
Elizabethtown, NY - 12932
(518) 873-3560

County: Essex County

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WIC Program - Women, Infants, Children
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) offers nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals and a variety of nutritious foods to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum women, infants and children up to age five to promote and support good health.
WIC improves the health of pregnant women, new mothers and their infants and children.
The foods provided through WIC are a good source of nutrients often missing from the diets of women and young children.
WIC participants have longer, healthier pregnancies and fewer premature births.
Do i qualify for wic?
To qualify, you must:
Be a pregnant woman;An infant or child up to five years old; A mother of a baby up to six months old; ORA breastfeeding mother of a baby up to 12 months old.
Be a resident of New York State, but you do not need to be a U.S.
citizen.Meet the income eligibility guidelines OR receive benefits from Food Stamps, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
Be assessed by a WIC health care professional.
How do I apply for WIC?
Call your local agency to make an appointment.
Find the local agency most convenient to you on our listing of local agencies providing WIC services.
Call the Growing Up Healthy Hotline to locate the WIC Local Agency nearest to you: 1-800-522-5006.
Each person applying for WIC benefits must go to the local agency to apply and be present at the time of application.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Proof of identity for each person applying.Proof of where you live.
The proof must show your actual street address, not a post office box.Proof of income for each household member who works.
Documentation must be for the last 30 days.Proof of your participation in Medicaid, SNAP/Food Stamps or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
Immunization records for children.
Confirmation of pregnancy - a statement from your health care provider with your baby s due date.Any WIC Medical forms given to you by your health care provider.
Call your WIC local agency for more information on acceptable forms of proof of identity, residency, and income or about participation in one of the programs listed above.
Forms You May Need to Bring to Your Appointment, What to Expect at Your WIC Appointment
View a short video about the WIC program.
You will receive nutrition counseling focused on your needs and concerns.
WIC staff promise to:
Listen to your concerns and needs.
Provide help from experienced staff and peer counselors.
Share information based on science and experience, without influence from formula or other commercial companies.
Assist you in making the best decisions for you and your family.
Respect you and your decisions about feeding your childrenHelp you breastfeed as long as you and your baby want to breastfeed.
Work with your community and hospital to promote and support breastfeeding and encourage healthy lifestyles.
All information shared with WIC staff is confidential.
Local agency staff will ask you for:
Documents that prove who you are, where you live, participation in assistance programs and the income of each member of your household who works.
All documents will be returned.Your race and ethnicity.
This information is for record keeping purposes only and does not affect your eligibility.WIC staff will conduct a short health screening for all family members applying for WIC.
This screening includes a finger stick blood test, height and weight, and a discussion of your health and nutrition concerns.
WIC staff will determine which food packages are right for you and your children.
If you choose not to breastfeed, your infant will be provided one of the formulas on the New York State WIC Approved Formulas list.
You may need to get a WIC Medical Documentation Form completed by your health care provider if you or your children have special nutritional needs.
You will receive:
WIC food checks for each household member certified to use like checks at authorized WIC stores.A WIC Acceptable Foods booklet, which lists all the foods and specific package sizes that you can purchase.A WIC ID Card, which lists the names of everyone in the household on WIC.Referrals to appropriate programs and services, Breastfeeding support, WIC Participant Rights and Responsibilities.
You will be able to authorize someone else to bring your children to WIC appointments or pick up your WIC food checks.
It is important to choose someone you trust, such as a spouse or partner or grandparent.

The Official WIC program is available to low to moderate income pregnant women, recently delivered women, breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk. Fathers can also bring their children to apply for WIC. You may apply for WIC if you are working or unemployed. Check the Income Guidelines Table to see if you are eligible for WIC. This website was created for women looking for WIC information and locations. We are also working towards adding other locations and services that may help out women.