Michigan WIC Program

Michigan WIC is administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and delivered through local health departments and community WIC agencies serving all 83 Michigan counties — from Detroit and Grand Rapids to small towns across the Upper Peninsula. The program provides food benefits, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support to families with young children.

Who WIC Serves in Michigan

WIC is open to pregnant women, individuals up to six months after giving birth (or up to a year if breastfeeding or chestfeeding), infants, and children up to their 5th birthday. Parents, guardians, and foster parents can apply on behalf of an eligible child. To qualify, a household needs to meet income guidelines and show a nutrition-related risk — such as being underweight, anemic, or newly pregnant — which a WIC health professional can help confirm at your appointment.

What Your Benefits Include

Approved participants receive a Michigan WIC EBT card loaded monthly with funds for foods like milk, eggs, whole grains, cheese, yogurt, beans, canned fish, and infant formula, redeemable at authorized grocery stores and pharmacies statewide. Every participant also receives a Cash Value Benefit for fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables, and many households add seasonal benefits through the WIC Produce Connection farmers' market program. WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support from peer counselors and lactation consultants, nutrition education, and referrals to other services like Medicaid or the Food Assistance Program (FAP).

Participants can check their balance and confirm approved items by scanning barcodes with the free WIC Connect app, and a growing number of local agencies now support WIC online shopping at select participating retailers.

How WIC Works in Michigan

Because Michigan WIC is delivered through local health departments and community agencies rather than a single statewide office, the fastest way to get started is to find and contact the agency nearest you — or call 2-1-1, Michigan's statewide helpline, to be connected to WIC services in your area. Michigan also offers an online application through MI Bridges, and telehealth video appointments are available through many local agencies, connecting participants with a Registered Dietitian or an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) without a trip to the clinic — especially useful for families in rural northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

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 agency will notify you before your certification period ends — don't wait until the last week to schedule, especially at busier agencies.