Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program that provides food, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and access to health services for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, & postpartum women, and to infants & children, up to age five, who are found to be at nutritional risk. Fifty-three percent of infants born in the US receive WIC benefits. WIC is administered locally by the Health Department.


What does WIC Provide?

WIC provides supplemental foods to meet the nutrient needs of children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, such as calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamins A & C. Participants receive WIC benefits in the form of a debit (Bridge Card) which they may redeem at any WIC authorized retail store throughout Michigan. Click here for a complete list of WIC eligible foods.


Nutrition education is an important component of the WIC Program. Education relates to the nutritional needs of the WIC client(s). Participants with high risk nutrition conditions are referred to a registered dietitian for a nutrition care plan & counseling. Common nutrition education topics include nutrition during pregnancy, infant feeding, nutrition during childhood, and wise food shopping. Click here to learn how to access online education.


Breastfeeding Support: A Mother’s milk has everything a baby needs to grow and stay healthy. WIC provides answers to breastfeeding questions and support in the form of peer counselors to help moms and babies with breastfeeding problems. WIC can also help breastfeeding mothers by providing breast pumps to use when returning to work or school. For additional information about the benefits of breastfeeding, click here.


Referrals: An added benefit of the WIC Program is screening for other health problems and referrals to other appropriate health and social services. These referrals may be for Medicaid, MI-Child, Healthy Kids, Food Stamps, immunizations, child health screening, family planning, and more.


Who is Eligible for WIC?

Applicants must meet all of the following 4 criteria:

1. Fall into one of the following categories:
  • Pregnant Women
  • Breastfeeding Women up to 1 year from delivery
  • Postpartum Women up to 6 months from delivery
  • Infants
  • Children up to their 5th birthday
2. Resident of the state of Michigan. U.S. Citizenship is not required.

3. Income eligible or a Medicaid recipient.

4. Determined by WIC clinic staff to be at nutrition and/or health risk.

To find out if you qualify for WIC, visit the WIC Prescreening Tool


For more information about the WIC Program, please visit:




The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department is an equal opportunity provider.