Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Please tell us about your WIC experience. We want to hear about WIC customer service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your opinion matters. Go to the survey now.

Favor de compartir su experiencias con el WIC. Queremos escuchar sobre servicio al cliente durante la pandemia del COVID-19. Tu opinion importa. Pase a la encuesta en este momento.

To be eligible, you or your child must:

• Live in North Carolina
• Live in a household with an income at or below WIC guidelines. A person receiving Medicaid, Work First Families Assistance (TANF), or assistance from the NC Food and Nutrition Services (food stamps) automatically meets the income eligibility requirement.
• Be at nutritional risk based on abnormal height and/or weight measurements, have a documented nutrition-related medical condition or have inadequate dietary intake.

More information

To demonstrate eligibility, families will need:

• A current Medicaid card, NC Food and Nutrition Services card (known as Food Stamp Card), Work First (TANF) documentation OR
• Pay check stubs for everyone in the home that works.
• Proof of your physical address where you reside. (If your physical address is different than your mailing address, please bring proof of both.)
• Identification for the person(s) applying for WIC (ie: Medicaid card, social security card, birth certificate, valid driver’s license, DMV issued photo ID).

Clients may be certified to receive services for the following periods of time:

• Pregnant Women: During the pregnancy and up to six weeks postpartum.
• Non-breast feeding postpartum women: Until six months postpartum.
• Breastfeeding postpartum women: 12 months after delivery or if breastfeeding is discontinued, between 6 and 12 months postpartum.
• Infants: Until one year of age (12 months).
• Children: Certified every year after first birthday until they are five years of age.

To find out if your family is eligible, call (828) 695-5884.

To submit paperwork to WIC staff before an appointment, please take a photo of your documentation (proof of income, identification, etc.) and email it to ccwic@catawbacountync.gov.

Find out more about financial eligibility.

To make an appointment, use this online form.

eWIC plastic Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards can be used like a “debit” card to purchase WIC-approved foods. eWIC is simple, safe and convenient. Cards are secured with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and work like a debit card at checkout. The cards will replace paper food vouchers and will be more convenient for families to use while grocery shopping.

Each qualifying family is issued one eWIC card. Participants are instructed on how to use the eWIC card and are given information about approved foods that can be purchased with eWIC cards. Monthly benefit packages are loaded electronically onto the card, which can be used at area WIC-participating grocery and convenience stores. Benefits are debited from the eWIC account as approved foods are purchased from authorized WIC vendors. eWIC allows participants to only buy the foods from their benefit package that they need during a shopping trip. Families will be able to check out faster and won’t have to separate items at the register at most stores.

Approved foods can be identified while shopping by using the Bnft app on a smartphone or by logging in to www.mybnft.com.

Participants can view their shopping list and check their balance by requesting a copy at the local WIC office, by calling the automated customer service line at 1-844-230-0813, logging on to the participant web portal at www.mybnft.com, checking the last printed grocery receipt, requesting a balance inquiry at the store, or using the Bnft app on a smart phone.

Use our interactive map to find stores and farmers markets closest to you that accept WIC vouchers.

Find a store near you with this ZIP code locator.

WIC strongly encourages women to breastfeed. Infants who are bottle fed can receive WIC contracted brands of iron fortified infant formula for the first year. At six months of age, infants can receive iron fortified infant cereal and baby food (fruits, vegetables, and meats). Special formulas may be issued for qualifying infants with a prescription.

Eligible participants receive food benefits for milk, cheese, eggs, whole grain cereals high in iron, peanut butter, dried or canned beans or peas, whole grain bread, rice, or cereal, tofu, soy-based beverages, and fresh, frozen or canned fruit or vegetables. Exclusively breastfeeding women may also receive vouchers for canned tuna or salmon and receive additional food due to breastfeeding.

Try out some recipes from WIC.

In addition to providing nutritional guidance and food packages, the WIC office has breastfeeding peer counselors to assist clients who have questions and concerns about breastfeeding. The staff provides encouragement and guidance for breastfeeding, which may include supplies such as manual and electric breast pumps for women who meet the criteria.

Nutritionists are available to answer client questions regarding eating habits to maintain health, gain or lose weight, comply with special diets (ex. diabetes); growth/weight status (over or underweight); anemia and dental care.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. (1)

   mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

2. (2)

   fax: (202) 690-7442; or

3. (3)

   email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Aviso de No Discriminación

De conformidad con la Ley Federal de Derechos Civiles y los reglamentos y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los EE. UU. (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), se prohíbe que el USDA, sus agencias, oficinas, empleados e instituciones que participan o administran programas del USDA discriminen sobre la base de raza, color, nacionalidad, sexo, discapacidad, edad, o en represalia o venganza por actividades previas de derechos civiles en algún programa o actividad realizados o financiados por el USDA.

Las personas con discapacidades que necesiten medios alternativos para la comunicación de la información del programa (por ejemplo, sistema Braille, letras grandes, cintas de audio, lenguaje de señas americano, etc.), deben ponerse en contacto con la agencia (estatal o local) en la que solicitaron los beneficios. Las personas sordas, con dificultades de audición o discapacidades del habla pueden comunicarse con el USDA por medio del Federal Relay Service [Servicio Federal de Retransmisión] al (800) 877-8339. Además, la información del programa se puede proporcionar en otros idiomas.

Para presentar una denuncia de discriminación, complete el Formulario de Denuncia de Discriminación del Programa del USDA, (AD-3027) que está disponible en línea en: How to File a Complaint, y en cualquier oficina del USDA, o bien escriba una carta dirigida al USDA e incluya en la carta toda la información solicitada en el formulario. Para solicitar una copia del formulario de denuncia, llame al (866) 632-9992. Haga llegar su formulario lleno o carta al USDA por:

1. (1)

   correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

2. (2)

   fax: (202) 690-7442; o

3. (3)

   correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov.

Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunida.

https://www.nutritionnc.com/nondiscrimination.htm