WIC - Women, Infants and Children

Who is eligible and who can apply?

•Pregnant women
•Women who are breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age
•Women who have had a baby in the past six months
•Parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster parents of infants and children under the age of 5 can apply for their children

If you have a job or if you have private health insurance, you can still apply for WIC. You do not have to be married to apply for WIC.

Eligibility Requirements

•Meet the income guidelines. Households with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty income level are eligible. WIC determines income based on gross income. WIC counts all of the members of a household, related or unrelated. WIC counts an unborn baby as a household member.

•Be at nutritional risk. WIC clients receive an initial health and diet screening at a WIC clinic to determine nutritional risk. WIC uses two main categories of nutritional risk: (1) medically-based risks such as a history of poor pregnancy outcome, underweight status, or iron-deficiency anemia, and (2) diet-based risks such as poor eating habits that can lead to poor nutritional and health status. Clients will be counseled at WIC about these risks and the outcome influenced by nutrition education and nutritious foods provided by WIC.

•Live in Texas. WIC clients usually receive services in the county where they live. U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for eligibility.

•Clients must apply in person except in certain limited cases.