BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that income guidelines for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, have increased, meaning more families may qualify for help buying nutritious food.
The program is available to pregnant women, women who have had a baby within the past six months, breastfeeding women, and parents or guardians of children up to age 5.
Eligible participants receive monthly food benefits for each qualifying family member, along with nutrition education, breastfeeding support and health care referrals.
The program provides monthly benefits for fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables:
-$26 for each child,
-$48 for pregnant and postpartum women, and
-$52 for breastfeeding women.
Other benefits cover whole-grain breads and cereals, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, peanut butter, beans, canned fish and infant foods. The full list of WIC-approved foods is embedded at the end of this story.
The program is open to households with incomes up to 185% of the federal poverty level. Families receiving Medicaid, SNAP or TANF already meet WIC income requirements, but others may also qualify because WIC’s income limits are higher.
See the table below for income limits by family size.
“WIC is here to help women, infants, and children in Alabama improve their overall health by providing nutritious foods, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support,” Alabama WIC Director Pam Galloway said in a news release.
The department encourages families to check with their local county health department or WIC agency to apply.
More information is available at alabamapublichealth.gov/wic or by calling the statewide toll-free line at 1-888-942-4673, also known as 1-888-WIC-HOPE.