Nebraska WIC Program

Nebraska WIC is administered by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) but delivered locally, through 13 local agencies operating more than 90 clinic sites across the state — from Omaha and Lincoln to small rural communities in every county. Nebraska made national news as the first state to launch WIC online grocery ordering, and the program continues to serve pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children statewide.

Who WIC Serves in Nebraska

WIC is open to pregnant women, breastfeeding women, new mothers, infants, and children up to their 5th birthday, including foster children. Fathers, grandparents, foster parents, and other caregivers can apply on behalf of an eligible child, and every applicant must live in Nebraska. To qualify, a household needs to meet income guidelines and show a nutrition-related risk — such as being underweight, anemic, or newly pregnant — which WIC staff can help confirm at your appointment.

What Your Benefits Include

Once approved, benefits are loaded monthly onto an eWIC card that works like a debit card at more than 300 authorized retailers statewide for foods like milk, eggs, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and infant formula. Nebraska WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support and peer counseling, one-on-one nutrition education, and referrals to health care and community services. Most participants download the free WICShopper app to check their benefit balance, scan barcodes to confirm an item is approved, and locate nearby WIC-authorized stores.

How WIC Works in Nebraska

Because Nebraska WIC is delivered through local health departments, community health centers, and nonprofit agencies rather than a single state office, the fastest way to get started is to find and call the WIC clinic nearest you using the interactive clinic map at dhhs.ne.gov. A staff member will schedule an in-person appointment and let you know what to bring. Once enrolled, participants can also order WIC-approved groceries online for pickup at participating Hy-Vee stores — Nebraska was the first state in the country to offer this, through a partnership with Iowa WIC and Minnesota WIC. Families living within the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska or Omaha Nation service areas may instead be served by their tribe's own USDA-recognized WIC program.

Staying Enrolled

Recertification timing depends on category: pregnant participants are certified through delivery, breastfeeding participants for up to a year postpartum, infants around 6 months and again before their first birthday, and children every six months until age 5. Your local clinic will reach out before your certification period ends — don't wait until the last week to schedule, especially at busier metro-area clinics.