Massachusetts WIC Program

Massachusetts WIC is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) WIC Nutrition Program, headquartered in Boston, but delivered locally through a network of WIC agencies — community health centers, hospitals, and nonprofit community action agencies — with clinic sites in cities and towns across the state.

Who WIC Serves in Massachusetts

WIC is open to people who are pregnant, up to six months postpartum (or up to a year if breastfeeding), infants, and children up to their 5th birthday. Fathers, foster parents, grandparents, and other guardians can apply on behalf of an eligible child. To qualify, a household needs to meet income guidelines and show a nutrition-related risk — like being pregnant, anemic, or underweight — which a WIC staff member or your doctor can help confirm at your appointment.

What Your Benefits Include

Once approved, benefits are loaded monthly onto a WIC card that works like a debit card at hundreds of authorized grocery stores and pharmacies statewide for foods like milk, eggs, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and infant formula. WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and referrals to programs like MassHealth or SNAP. Massachusetts WIC participants can also order WIC-approved groceries through the Walmart app or Walmart.com for pickup or delivery at participating Supercenters, and many use their WIC card for free or discounted admission to over 200 museums and cultural organizations statewide through the Card to Culture program.

Most participants download the free WICShopper app to check their benefit balance, scan barcodes in the store to confirm an item is approved, and find nearby WIC-authorized stores.

How WIC Works in Massachusetts

Because Massachusetts WIC is delivered through local agencies rather than a single state office, the fastest way to get started is an online pre-application at mass.gov — a staff member from the WIC office serving your area will follow up by phone to complete the process. You can also call the statewide line at (800) 942-1007, or call your local WIC office directly, to schedule an appointment. Your first certification appointment is completed with WIC staff, and follow-up nutrition visits afterward may be in person or done remotely by phone.

Staying Enrolled

Recertification timing depends on your category: pregnant participants are certified through delivery, breastfeeding participants for up to a year postpartum, non-breastfeeding postpartum participants for six months, and children annually. Your local WIC office will notify you before your certification period ends — many locations offer evening and Saturday appointments, so it's worth scheduling ahead rather than waiting until the last week.