Pennsylvania WIC Program

Pennsylvania WIC has served families across the Commonwealth since 1974 — one of the longest continuously operating state WIC programs in the country. It's administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Women, Infants and Children, but delivered locally through county health departments, regional agencies, and community organizations across all 67 counties.

Who WIC Serves in Pennsylvania

WIC is open to pregnant women, women who had a baby in the past six months (or twelve months if breastfeeding), infants, and children under age five. Fathers, grandparents, and foster parents who are the legal guardian of an eligible child may apply on the child's behalf. 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 or a doctor confirms at the certification appointment. U.S. citizenship is not required, and WIC participation is excluded from public charge determinations.

What Your Benefits Include

Approved participants receive a Pennsylvania WIC Smart Card (eWIC) loaded monthly with funds for foods like milk, cheese, eggs, whole grains, beans, canned fish, and infant formula, plus a Cash Value Benefit for fruits and vegetables. The card works like a debit card at authorized grocery stores statewide. Pennsylvania WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support through Certified Lactation Counselors and peer counselors, nutrition education, and referrals to Medical Assistance, SNAP, and other services. Families can also use WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program checks each summer to buy fresh produce directly from Pennsylvania growers.

How WIC Works in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is unusual in having several types of local WIC administrators — county health departments, regional planning commissions, and community action agencies all run WIC clinics in different parts of the state. In the Pittsburgh area, for example, WIC is administered directly by the Allegheny County Health Department. Because of this, the agency that contacts you to schedule your appointment may go by a name other than "Pennsylvania WIC." The clinic finder at pawic.com routes every applicant to the correct local agency based on their address.

Staying Enrolled

Recertification timing depends on category: pregnant participants are certified through delivery, breastfeeding participants for up to twelve months postpartum, non-breastfeeding postpartum participants for six months, and children annually. Your local WIC agency will notify you before your certification period ends. Once you're enrolled, the WIC Family Portal lets participants review appointments, check benefit balances, and upload documents online between clinic visits.