Some of you might be asking yourselves, “WTF is WIC?” I have the answer for you. WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children. It is a government assistance program provided by each state to low-income families with either pregnant/postpartum women OR children age newborn to five. WIC clinics are typically staffed by dietitians and nutrition educators. Their first appointment with you usually consists of going over your status as either pregnant, postpartum, or a mother of a child or children ages 1-5. They will discuss your household’s eating habits in order to get a good read on you and/or your children’s nutritional needs. If you are breastfeeding or planning to, they will go over breastfeeding goals and education with you as well as your plan to either exclusively breastfeed or exclusively pump. Once this appointment is completed, and all your information is verified, the WIC staff will certify you and immediately issue you food packages. These food packages are usually pretty generic, but sometimes contain special substitutes based on the needs of you and/or your family.
Now I know this can sound intimidating. Getting government assistance can be embarrassing. You don’t want people looking at you funny or thinking you’re a bum because you need it in the first place. This is not how the WIC office runs things. If you are considering applying for WIC, don’t be deterred by the flurry of myths that surround the program. In this article, I am going to share some common WIC myths with you and set the record straight as WIC Public Health Employee.
Myth 1: WIC asks for way too much paperwork and it’s hard to know what the right paperwork is. It’s just not worth it.
This is far from true. WIC clinics typically ask for documents called proofs. These documents are listed in three categories: Income, Identity, and Residency. They need to know who you are, how much money you make, and verify your residential address. It’s really simple. Some examples of these include: SNAP/TANF/Medicaid Cards (Income), Driver License/ID, Social Security Card, Birth Certificate (Identity), and a piece of mail with your name and address on it (Residency). The WIC staff also tell you exactly what kind of documents they need. The reality of WIC requirements is much less complicated than you probably hear.
Myth 2: WIC is just like SNAP.
WIC is nothing like SNAP, save for the idea that both programs give you a preloaded card to redeem for food at the grocery store. While SNAP gives you a set dollar amount with no other specifications, WIC has very strict rules are the food you are allowed to get because their goal is not to help you buy whatever you want. Their goal is to help ensure you have access nutritionally adequate food and keep yourself and your children healthy. Breastfeeding/pregnant/postpartum women MUST have their nutritional needs met in order to remain healthy.
Myth 3: They only give food to moms who are breastfeeding.
This is not true. Pregnant and recently postpartum women are given appropriate food packages based on their nutritional needs. If a mother continues to breastfeed past the 6-month point of a baby’s life, they still receive food benefits in order to gain the proper nutrients needed for breastmilk production.
Myth 4: They only take babies.
Again, this is false. WIC accepts pregnant/postpartum/breastfeeding moms and children age newborn to five.
Myth 5: I don’t qualify for Medicaid or SNAP, so I probably won’t qualify for WIC either.
This mindset is the only thing keeping you from finding out. There are requirements in place that are only specific to WIC. The income guidelines are updated annually, and there are ways to navigate around certain barriers that might be preventing you from initially qualifying. And be aware that if you receive Medicaid or SNAP, you are automatically income-qualified, and the only proofs left to turn in are an ID and a piece of mail.
WIC is so much more than just a teeny, tiny office in your county. WIC has endless resources both local and federal for pregnant moms, single moms/dads, single student-parents, and SO MUCH MORE! I beg you to take advantage of these programs without fear of embarrassment or judgement. Public Health is there for you to utilize and get back on your feet. Try to remember that when you apply for these kinds of programs. They are optional programs, and they have rules. You must abide by them in order to get the best results. For more information on federal WIC resources for nutrition, breastfeeding, and pregnancy, check out this website: WIC: USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children | Food and Nutrition Service
