Missouri WIC Program

Missouri WIC is administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), but delivered through a network of more than 115 local WIC agencies — mostly county and city health departments — reaching families in all 114 counties plus the City of St. Louis, Missouri's independent city that sits outside any county's boundaries.

Who WIC Serves in Missouri

WIC is open to pregnant women, women up to six months after giving birth (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 underweight, anemic, or newly pregnant — which a WIC staff member or your doctor can help confirm at your appointment. Foster children under age 5 are automatically eligible regardless of the foster family's income.

What Your Benefits Include

Once approved, benefits are loaded onto a WIC card that works like a debit card at authorized grocery stores and pharmacies statewide, covering foods like milk, eggs, cheese, whole grains — including both whole wheat and corn tortillas — beans, tofu, fruits, vegetables, and infant formula. WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support, one-on-one nutrition education, and referrals to programs like MO HealthNet or SNAP. Most participants use 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 Missouri

Because Missouri WIC is delivered through local agencies rather than a single state office, the fastest way to get started is to find and contact the WIC agency nearest you, or call TEL-LINK at 1-800-835-5465 to be connected. A staff member will schedule your certification appointment and let you know what to bring — many local agencies can complete appointments by phone as well as in person, so ask what's available in your area if getting to an office is difficult.

Staying Enrolled

Recertification timing depends on your category: pregnant participants are certified through pregnancy and six months postpartum (twelve months if breastfeeding), infants are recertified around six months and again near their first birthday, and children are recertified every six to twelve months until age five. Your local WIC agency will contact you before your certification period ends — don't wait until the last week to schedule, especially at busy agencies.