What Does WIC Provide?
WIC is a health and nutrition program that has demonstrated a positive effect on pregnancy outcomes and child growth and development.
Foods for Women and Children
Pregnant and postpartum women and children (under 5 years of age) participating in WIC receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to purchase the following items:
- peanut butter or dried beans/peas, or canned beans
- fruit or vegetable juices
- fresh fruit and vegetables
- whole grain bread or tortillas
WIC nutrition education assists WIC participants with:
- Infant feeding
- Prenatal weight gain
- Child growth and development
- Other nutrition related health issues
High Risk Nutrition Counseling
Registered dietitians at WIC provide individualized high risk nutrition counseling for participants with special medical conditions or nutrition-related health issues.
Health Care Referrals
WIC enjoys a reciprocal relationship with the health care community, receiving referrals from private and public health care providers and providing referrals as needed for health and social services.
WIC refers participants for immunizations, substance abuse counseling and treatment, prenatal care, smoking cessation, lead screening, the MI Child program, and more.
WIC encourages persons already receiving medical services to remain under their physicians' care. WIC also encourages well-child visits and routine health and dental care.
Breastfeeding Promotion and Support
WIC offers trained personnel ready to assist mothers in making informed decisions about their infant feeding choices and instructs mothers on the basics of breastfeeding.
WIC also offers breastfeeding peer counselor support programs that provide mother-to-mother counseling, educational resources, and breast pumps.
Project FRESH, or the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), is an initiative to use farmers markets in Michigan to make Michigan grown produce available to participants. Project FRESH also helps participants to learn how to: choose new locally grown produce, prepare a fruit or vegetable in a new way, store and preserve fresh fruits and vegetables, increase fruit and vegetable consumption, and find other beneficial community resources. Women and children (ages 1-5) currently enrolled in WIC can get coupons for fresh fruit and vegetables. Women who are either pregnant or breastfeeding are targeted to help meet their special nutritional needs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442, or email at email@example.com. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).