Wisconsin WIC Program

Wisconsin WIC is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) but delivered locally through a network of more than 60 WIC agencies — county health departments, community health centers, and tribal health programs — reaching all 72 Wisconsin counties, from Milwaukee and Madison to small rural and tribal communities up north.

Who WIC Serves in Wisconsin

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, foster parents, grandparents, and other caregivers can apply on behalf of an eligible child, and foster children and Kinship Care recipients under 5 qualify regardless of the caregiver's income. 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 onto an eWIC card that works like a debit card at authorized grocery stores, pharmacies, and retailers statewide, covering foods like milk, eggs, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and infant formula. WIC also connects families to breastfeeding support, one-on-one nutrition education through the state's online ONE learning platform, and referrals to programs like BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare. Many participants use the free Wisconsin MyWIC app to check their benefit balance, scan barcodes to confirm an item is approved, and find nearby WIC-authorized stores.

How WIC Works in Wisconsin

Because Wisconsin WIC is delivered through local agencies rather than one statewide office, the fastest way to get started is to start a pre-application online or contact the WIC office that serves your county directly. Many local agencies also offer a Family Portal, letting you submit proof of identity, address, and income electronically ahead of your appointment, and phone or video appointments for follow-up visits once you're enrolled. Wisconsin also has 11 federally recognized tribes, and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) operates dedicated WIC services for tribal communities statewide alongside the county-based agencies.

Staying Enrolled

After your first appointment, you'll check back in with WIC roughly every three months to pick up your next round of food benefits, get referrals to other services, and continue nutrition education. Full certification periods follow federal guidelines: pregnant participants are certified through delivery, breastfeeding participants for up to a year postpartum, non-breastfeeding postpartum participants for six months, and children annually. Your local WIC office will let you know when it's time to recertify — don't wait until the last minute, especially at busier agencies.