Determining WIC Eligibility
WIC Eligibility & Applying
Determining WIC Eligibility
There are four guidelines used to determine if an applicant is eligible to participate in WIC.
They are:
-
Category: An applicant must be in one of the categories served by WIC.
- Pregnant Woman
- Breastfeeding woman (up to 1 year after delivery)
- Non-breastfeeding woman (up to 6 months after the pregnancy ends)
- Infant (child under 1 year old)
- Child (1 to 5 years of age)
- Residence: The applicant must live in Stanislaus County
-
Income: The applicant’s family income must be within WIC guidelines
Click here for the guidelines - Nutritional Need: The applicant must have a health problem (nutritional need) which can be improved with good nutrition.
Two Easy Ways to Apply for WIC
- By calling the main office at (209) 558-7377
After a short screening process, the person is given an enrollment appointment. Most participants are enrolled and receive benefits within two weeks of the initial phone call or online form submission. - OR by submitting the online WIC Pre-Application form [ English | Spanish ]
Services and benefits provided by the WIC Program
Once eligible, participants come to a WIC office/site of their choice on a monthly or bimonthly schedule, to receive:
- Nutrition education classes or individual nutrition assessments and counseling
- Special Checks for exchange of specific nutritious foods at local grocery stores.
- Breastfeeding education and support for pregnant and new mothers.
Click here for more breastfeeding information - Linkages and referrals to health care providers and other social services