Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Food Program
About WIC
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a supplemental nutrition program for infants, children up to the age of 5, women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have had a baby in the last 6 months. WIC helps families by providing healthy foods, nutrition education, and referrals to other health care agencies.
To see if you are eligible for WIC, you may also use the WIC Prescreening Tool. This Prescreening Tool is not an application for WIC. To apply for WIC benefits, you must make an appointment at your WIC local agency.
Click on www.hhs.iowa.gov/wic to access Iowa WIC information.
Click here to view the WIC Clinic Calendar.
What are the benefits of WIC?
- Supplemental nutritious foods
- Milk, cheese, fruits, vegetables, baby food, baby formula, eggs, cereal, bread, tortillas, brown rice, peanut butter, yogurt, and other nutritious foods
- Nutrition education and counseling
- Health screenings and referrals to other health and social services
- Breastfeeding promotion, support, and options for breast pumps
What is required for program eligibility?
- Meet income guidelines: 185% of Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Have an Iowa address
- Have a medical or nutritional need
What is required to apply for services?
- Proof of Identity for each participant (one of the following examples: drivers license, Medicaid card, birth certificate, crib card, Social Security card, Passport)
- Proof of Iowa Address (one of the following that must have your current address: utility bill, rent receipt, drivers license, voter registration card, vehicle registration, public assistance notification)
- Proof of Income (one of the following examples: active Medicaid/Title 19 card, food assistance (SNAP) approval letter, FIP approval letter, Head Start/EHS adjunctive eligibility letter, last 30 days paystubs for everyone working in the household, employers statement, tax return for self-employed only)
Where are services available?
WIC services are available in the following ten NW Iowa counties: Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth and Sioux
What you need to know about the appointment!
During a WIC appointment, staff will:
- Conduct a health assessment (height, weight, hemoglobin, lead screening)
- Provide opportunities to discuss nutrition and health concerns
- Provide referrals to other medical care and services
- Provide monthly food benefits and education that will help you with your food budget
- Provide breastfeeding support and options for breast pumps
- Help set up your WIC Shopper App on your cell phone
- Easily see what your monthly benefits are
- Scan barcodes to let you know right away if an item is approved/not approved on WIC
- Access WIC allowable foods to let you know what brands and sizes of items are approved
- Access WIChealth.org to complete online nutrition education
- Clinic locations offered in:
- Cherokee
- Emmetsburg
- Estherville
- Hawarden
- Le Mars
- Orange City
- Rock Rapids
- Rock Valley
- Sheldon
- Sibley
- Sioux Center
- Spencer
- Spirit Lake
Helpful Resources
Review the federal poverty guidelines income eligibility chart for program services.
- WIC Agencies in Iowa
- WIC Income Guidelines
- WIC 2023 Approved Food List
- Special Formula Request Form
- WIC video on Your Rights and Responsibilities
- WIChealth.org is your resource for nutrition education online! It only takes a minute to create an account and you will only need your WIC family ID number. If you do not know your ID number, your local agency can provide this number to you. Need help creating an account? Check out this Client Account Creation Flyer or a video to help walk you through the process - English or Spanish
- Application for Food Stamps, Medicaid, Child Care Assistance
- Medicaid and Hawki Eligibility Chart
- Child Support Recovery
- Farmers Market Locations
- Iowa Department of Health and Human Services - WIC
- Text4Baby App - Service for pregnant women and moms with infants under age one. There is no cost to sign up for this texting service from the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition.
Need Help?
If you have difficulty understanding English or have a disability, free language assistance or other aids and services are available upon request. Please contact your local WIC clinic.
Deaf Relay: (Hearing or Speech Impaired) 711 or 1-800-735-2942
Necesita Ayuda?
Si tiene dificultades para enteder el idioma Ingles o tiene una discapacidad, hay asistencia gratuita con el idioma u otras ayudas, y servicios disponibles a pedido. Comuniquese con su clinical WIC local.
Relevo para personas sordas: (personas con problemas de audicion o del habla) 711 o 1-800-735-2942.
Mid-Sioux Mission
Helping People. Changing Lives.
Women, Infants, and Children Mission
To safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.
Read the full USDA Non-Discrimination Statement and to learn how to file a complaint.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.