WIC Program Complete Guide 2025: Eligibility, Benefits, and Application Process
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a vital federal nutrition program that helps ensure the health and well-being of pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about WIC in 2025.
What is the WIC Program?
WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children up to age 5. The program is designed to improve health outcomes and reduce nutrition-related health problems.
WIC serves approximately 6.2 million participants each month, including about half of all infants born in the United States. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and operates through state health departments and local agencies.
WIC Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for WIC, you must meet several requirements:
Basic Eligibility Criteria
- Category: Must be a pregnant woman, breastfeeding woman (up to 1 year postpartum), non-breastfeeding woman (up to 6 months postpartum), infant, or child under 5
- Income: Household income must be at or below 185% of the federal poverty level
- Residency: Must live in the state where you're applying
- Nutrition Risk: Must be determined to be at nutritional risk by a health professional
- Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
Check Your WIC Eligibility
Use our eligibility calculator to see if you qualify for WIC benefits.
Check My WIC Eligibility