WIC Program

What it is: WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children, and is a prenatal and post natal nutrition program provided by the government.

How it works: After you go through the initial application and process to sign up (see site for details) you are given "checks" each month with the items that you are able to purchase, appropriate to age. Each check will have a list and quantity of what you can get. You simply get the items on the list and use the check to pay for them. Most stores are participants. Items include, formula, juice, milk, cheese, tuna, beans, cereal.

Who is eligible:
Women:
pregnant (during pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after the birth of an infant or the end
of the pregnancy)
postpartum (up to six months after the birth of the infant or the end of the pregnancy)
breastfeeding (up to the infant's first birthday)

Infants: (up to the infant's first birthday)

Children:(up to the child's fifth birthday)

*There are also income guidelines. Many people are surprised that they qualify. Check out this chart to see if you are one of them.

What I think about it: I think that this is a great program to help parents give their children the nutrition they need. Especially young parents who struggle to make ends meet. You can save your family a lot of money, especially on things like formula and dairy. It is also a fairly simple program to sign up for and participate in. If you are hesitant to use a government program remember this, you pay (or will pay) a lot in taxes, also it is not fair to your child to withhold nutrition in an attempt to save money. If you need it, use it!