New Hampshire WIC Program

New Hampshire WIC is overseen by the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), but it doesn't run its own clinics. Instead, DHHS contracts with four regional nonprofits that deliver WIC services across all 10 counties, from Coos County in the North Country to the Seacoast. The program provides free nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and referrals to healthcare and community services — and New Hampshire WIC does not ask about immigration or citizenship status.

Who WIC Serves in New Hampshire

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, grandparents, foster parents, and other caregivers can apply on behalf of an eligible child, and foster children qualify automatically regardless of the foster family's income. To qualify, a household needs to meet income guidelines and have a nutrition-related risk — such as being pregnant, anemic, or underweight — which WIC staff or a doctor 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 authorized grocery stores statewide, covering items like milk, eggs, cheese, whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, and infant formula. WIC also connects families to certified lactation counselors and breastfeeding peer counselors, one-on-one nutrition counseling, and referrals to programs like NH Medicaid and SNAP. Most NH WIC clinics also offer a free well water testing kit through the state's Water Well-ness Initiative for families on private wells, and use CDC "Learn the Signs, Act Early" checklists to screen children for developmental milestones at appointments.

How WIC Works in New Hampshire

Because New Hampshire WIC is delivered through four regional contractors rather than a single state office, the fastest way to get started is the online pre-application at nhwic.com or the statewide clinic locator at signupwic.com — either connects you with the agency covering your county, which then calls to schedule your appointment. Appointments are available in person or, in many cases, entirely by phone.

Staying Enrolled

Recertification timing follows federal guidelines: pregnant participants are certified through delivery, breastfeeding participants for up to a year postpartum, non-breastfeeding postpartum participants for six months, infants around 6 months and again near their first birthday, and children every 6 months up to age 5. Your local agency will notify you before your certification period ends — don't wait until the last week to schedule, especially during busy seasons.