How do I apply for WIC?

Call your local agency to make an appointment.

• Find the local agency most convenient to you on our listing of local agencies providing WIC services.
• Call the Growing Up Healthy Hotline to locate the WIC Local Agency nearest to you: 1-800-522-5006.

Each person applying for WIC benefits must go to the local agency to apply and be present at the time of application.

Records to Bring to Your Appointment

• What to Bring to Your WIC Appointment (PDF)
  • Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Korean, Nepali, Polish, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Yiddish
• Other Forms You May Need to Bring to Your Appointment
• Immunization records for children
• Any WIC Medical forms given to you by your health care provider such as:
  • WIC Medical Referral Form (PDF) – This form is completed by your health care provider. It provides information WIC needs to certify a woman, infant or child for the program.
  • Medical Documentation Form (for WIC Formula and Approved WIC Foods) (PDF) – This form is completed by health care provider when a woman or child needs a special formula and/or can not eat all the foods WIC provides.

Need more information? Ask the local agency about the records you should bring.

What to Expect at Your WIC Appointment

You will receive nutrition counseling focused on your needs and concerns.

WIC staff promise to:

• Listen to your concerns and needs
• Provide help from experienced staff and peer counselors
• Share information based on science and experience, without influence from formula or other commercial companies
• Assist you in making the best decisions for you and your family
• Respect you and your decisions about feeding your children
• Help you breastfeed as long as you and your baby want to breastfeed
• Work with your community and hospital to promote and support breastfeeding and encourage healthy lifestyles

All information shared with WIC staff is confidential. Local agency staff will ask you for:

• Documents that prove who you are, where you live, participation in assistance programs and the income of each member of your household who works. All documents will be returned.
• Your race and ethnicity. This information is for record keeping purposes only and does not affect your eligibility.

WIC staff will conduct a short health screening for all family members applying for WIC. This screening includes a finger stick blood test, height and weight, and a discussion of your health and nutrition concerns.

WIC staff will determine which food packages are right for you and your children. If you choose not to breastfeed, your infant will be provided one of the formulas on the New York State WIC Approved Formulas list. You may need to get a WIC Medical Documentation Form completed by your health care provider if you or your children have special nutritional needs.

You will receive:

• An eWIC card to shop for your family’s WIC foods at WIC-approved stores
• A shopping list for WIC-approved foods for your household
• Referrals to other programs and services
• Breastfeeding support
• WIC Participant Rights and Responsibilities
  • Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Korean, Nepali, Polish, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Yiddish (PDF)

You will be able to authorize someone else to bring your children to WIC appointments or receive more eWIC benefits. It is important to choose someone you trust, such as a spouse or partner or grandparent.

Download the WIC Participant Handbook - currently available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French.