Virginia WIC Program

Virginia WIC is administered by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) but delivered locally through a network of 35 local health districts — from Alexandria and Fairfax in Northern Virginia to Lenowisco and Cumberland Plateau in the Southwest Virginia coalfields — each running its own WIC clinics under statewide VDH policy.

Who WIC Serves in Virginia

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. Parents, 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 — such as being pregnant, anemic, or underweight — which WIC staff or your doctor can help confirm at your appointment.

What Your Benefits Include

Once approved, benefits are loaded monthly onto a Virginia eWIC card that works like a debit card at authorized stores displaying the "Virginia eWIC Card Accepted Here" sign, covering foods like milk, eggs, cheese, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and infant formula. WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support and peer counseling, one-on-one nutrition education, and referrals to programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Once enrolled, the myVAWIC portal at myvawic.org lets you view your food prescription and manage benefit details online.

How WIC Works in Virginia

Because Virginia WIC is delivered through local health districts rather than a single state office, the fastest way to get started is the online application at myvawic.org. After you submit it, your local health district WIC office contacts you to schedule a certification appointment. You can also find and contact your district directly using the health district map on the VDH website. Service details like hours and specific clinic offerings vary somewhat by district.

Staying Enrolled

Recertification timing depends on your category: pregnant participants are certified through delivery, breastfeeding participants up to a year postpartum, non-breastfeeding postpartum participants for six months, and children annually. Your local health district office will notify you before your certification period ends — don't wait until the last week to schedule, especially at busy Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads districts.