Benefits for WIC Participants

Benefits Received by WIC Participants

All participants:

• Screening for nutrition and health needs

• Information on how to use WIC foods to improve health

• Vouchers to buy nutritious foods at your local grocery stores

• Referrals to doctors, dentists, and programs such as Food Stamps and emergency food banks.

Women:

• Nutritious foods to supplement regular diet

• Information on healthy eating during pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding support

Infants:

• Breastfeeding support or infant formula

• Immunization referrals

• Parents/caretakers receive information on caring for babies

Children:

• Nutritious foods to supplement regular diet

• Immunization referrals

• Parents/caregivers receive information of food shopping, recipes, tips on feeding children

Health Benefits of WIC:

• Pregnant women have fewer premature and low-birth-weight babies

• Pregnant women are more likely to get prenatal care

• Reductions in Medicaid costs for WIC participants

• Improved dietary intake by WIC participants

• Reduced rates of iron deficiency anemia

• Better cognitive development in WIC children

• Improved immunization rates

• Higher breastfeeding rates

• Decreased infant mortality

Food Benefits:

• Milk, eggs, cheese

• Cereals

• Peanut butter, dried beans & peas

• Tuna fish

• Carrots

• Fruit juices

• Infant formula and cereals