Families Frequently Asked Questions

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women; infants; and children until their 5th birthday. WIC helps to prevent health problems and improve the health of participants through good nutrition and education. WIC supplements the diets of participants with nutritious food.

All participants must be a Missouri resident and further eligibility is based on three (3) additional things: category, income, and nutritional risk.

• Category:
  • Pregnant women
  • Women breastfeeding an infant up to the infant’s 1st birthday
  • Postpartum women up to six (6) months after delivery or end of pregnancy
  • Infants up to their 1st birthday
  • Children until their 5th birthday

Fathers, grandparents, guardians, and foster parents may also apply for benefits for the children living in their household.

• Income:
• Household income may be no more than 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines. Families that qualify for SNAP or TANF automatically qualify. Individuals who meet income and category guidelines will have a nutrition and health assessment during the certification process.

To see if you qualify for the Missouri WIC program, please visit the income guidelines or the prescreen tool for further information.

To apply for WIC benefits, you must visit a WIC local agency near you. Please call the closest agency for additional information or to schedule an appointment.

For additional assistance in finding a WIC local agency, please contact TEL-LINK at 1-800-TEL-LINK or 1-800-835-5465.

Although WIC does not provide food packages for men, they receive many other benefits. The WIC program was developed to meet the needs of pregnant women, infants, and children in the critical growth years of fetal development and early childhood. WIC benefits, by design of the program, are provided only to pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women; infants; and children until their 5th birthday. A man with any of these participants in his family will benefit from the support, nutritious food, and nutrition education offered to his family. Men can and are encouraged to participate in nutrition education, family nutrition counseling, shopping for WIC approved food, and referrals to health care and other programs that may benefit their families. Find out more about nutrition here.

To find services near you, please visit our locations page or contact TEL-LINK at 1-800-TEL-LINK or 1-800-835-5465 for more information. Look for the blue pins to find local agencies.

No, there is no fee to participate in the WIC program.

The following information and documents are required on your first appointment.

Proof of Identity:

• Infants and children: Immunization record, birth certificate, hospital records (e.g., crib card, hospital band, discharge paperwork), or Family Support Division letter with identifying information.
• Adults: Photo ID such as driver license, passport, employment ID card, school ID card, state ID card, military ID card, or naturalization record.
• When a photo ID is not available, proof could be a card or letter verifying health care, social services or voter registration card.

• Most recent or current utility bill or personal bill mailed to the residence.
• Current rent or mortgage receipt.
• Voter registration card.
• Property tax receipt.
• Pay stub that contains name and physical address.
• Mail received from a government agency other than WIC (e.g., jury summons, social services letter).
• Written statement from a reliable third party (e.g., employer, church, social service agency) with knowledge of the applicant’s or participant’s regular or nighttime location.

• Current pay stubs (paper or electronic) noting the pay time frame (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly).
• W-2 forms or income tax returns for the most recent calendar year.
• Signed statement from employer indicating gross earnings for a specified pay period.
• Commissions, fees, and tip records.
• Unemployment letter or notice.
• Check stub or award letter from Social Security stating current amount of earnings.
• Recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) for military personnel.
• Recent bank statement.
• Foster child placement letter or foster parent award letter.
• Divorce decree which states child support and alimony.
• Scholarship letter.
• Accounting records for the self-employed.
• If you are currently on MO HealthNet, Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), or receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), you might be eligible for benefits without current proof of income.

The WIC food packages are based on the type of participant (woman, infant, or child). Nutritionists can tailor the food package for each individual.

• WIC encourages and provides support for breastfeeding. For babies who are not fully breastfed, iron fortified infant formula can be provided.  
• At six (6) months of age, infants may receive infant cereal, fruit, and vegetables. Infants who are fully breastfed also receive infant meat.
• Women and children can receive milk; soy milk; eggs; cheese and yogurt; cold and hot cereal; juice; peanut butter; dried beans, peas and lentils; canned beans; infant cereal; infant formula; infant fruit, vegetables and meats; tofu; tuna; sardines and salmon; whole grain breads; brown rice; tortillas; whole wheat pasta; and fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables.
• Women who fully breastfeed their babies may also receive extra food including canned tuna, salmon, or sardines.
• Women, infants, and children who have certain medical conditions may also be provided exempt formula and WIC eligible nutritionals.

No, WIC will not provide all of the food needed for a month. Food provided by WIC is intended to supplement the diet. The food packages approved for use in the Missouri WIC program are designed to help meet infants’ developmental needs and current pediatric feeding recommendations, and to complement the eating patterns of preschool children. WIC food also supplements the special requirements of pregnant and breastfeeding women to help replenish the nutrient stores women use during pregnancy.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines the basic nutrient guidelines that the Missouri WIC program follows in food selection. All food items selected must meet those requirements. The Missouri WIC program also uses cost, availability, and other similar criteria to select food items. Food items selected are low in sugar and salt and are good sources of vitamins A, C, and D; iron; protein; and calcium.

All WIC participants have a full nutrition assessment completed to determine individual needs. All medical conditions, including food allergies diagnosed by a healthcare provider, will be reviewed and the food package will be adjusted as needed. WIC allows gluten-free cereal options, the substitution of milk for lactose-free milk, soy milk, or tofu, and nutrition tailoring (the removal of food items) to eliminate food allergens such as eggs or nuts, if needed. WIC can also provide specialized hypoallergenic formulas for participants with medical documentation of a qualifying condition from a health care provider.

In combination with fresh fruits and vegetables, moderate consumption of 100% unsweetened juice can help participants meet vitamin C recommendations. WIC juice benefits allow for one 4 oz. serving of pasteurized, 100% unsweetened juice per day, if desired. For children, juice should only be consumed with meals or snacks. For more information, read what the American Academy of Pediatrics says about juice consumption.

A WIC authorized retailer is a grocery store or pharmacy that has been approved by the WIC program to accept eWIC cards for WIC approved food items. Check our retailer page for additional information.

WIC authorized retailers must allow individuals to purchase all WIC approved food items listed on the eWIC card. Available food items may vary by retailer. If a retailer does not allow a WIC participant to purchase a WIC approved food item that is stocked in the store and listed on the eWIC card, please contact your WIC local agency or the WIC state agency.

Check USDA’s website for WIC state agencies or contact the Missouri WIC state agency at 800-392-8209 to obtain the telephone number of WIC programs in other states.

Contact the Missouri WIC state agency at 800-392-8209 or visit our website to file a report.

Contact the Missouri WIC state agency at 800-392-8209 or email WICinfo@health.mo.gov.

If you are a WIC applicant or participant, your WIC local agency can tell you where to find the Family Support office in your community. You may also visit the SNAP website or call the Family Support Division Information Center at 855-373-4636.

Payments may be made online or through the mail. If you’d like to make your payment online, go to https://health.mo.gov/about/online-payment.php and follow these instructions. If mailing a payment, please make your check or money order payable to DHSS Fee Receipts. Include a copy of the letter you received and indicate in the memo section of your check or money order that the payment is for the WIC program. Send your payment to:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
ATTN: Fee Receipts
P.O. Box 570
920 Wildwood Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65102

An eWIC card holds WIC food benefits that the participant can use at the grocery store.

No. The eWIC card for the WIC program is separate from the EBT card for the SNAP program.

Yes. The eWIC card has the ability to hold three (3) months’ worth of benefits. Unused benefits expire the last day of the benefit month at midnight. Participants have to return to the WIC clinic to receive additional benefits and nutrition education.

Yes. All family members on WIC in the same household have their benefits on one (1) card. Foster children receive their own cards. The same card is used at every appointment to add the next set of benefits. The card is not to be used and then thrown away.

Only the authorized representative can change the PIN for an eWIC card.

No. Proper identification is not required with the eWIC card at the grocery store. The PIN is the participant’s identification for using the card.

The process is very similar to using a debit or credit card. At checkout, the eWIC card is inserted into the card reader and WIC approved items are deducted from the balance of the benefit package on the card. Any non-WIC items will then be purchased by another method of payment. Unused benefits remain on the card until they expire the last day of the month at midnight.

If a participant loses their eWIC card, it is disabled and placed on the Hot Card List. After a 5-day waiting period the authorized representative must go to their local agency with appropriate proof of identity to get a new card issued.

No. Technology is still under development by retailers.

No. Missouri eWIC cards are ONLY accepted at Missouri authorized WIC retailers.

The eWIC card should follow the foster child. Each foster child is assigned an eWIC card of their own. If multiple foster children reside in one household, the authorized representative may label each card with the child’s initials to keep them separated.p>

No. Missouri eWIC cards can only be used at stores displaying the Missouri eWIC Authorized Retailer decal.

After scanning all items, WIC-approved food items are deducted from the eWIC card. Check the receipt to ensure the items are correctly deducted before pressing the key to confirm your purchase.

WICShopper is a specialized WIC smartphone application. The application allows participants to register their eWIC cards to help track the benefits on the card throughout each month. The application allows participants to scan an item’s Universal Product Code (UPC) to identify WIC-approved food items before checking out. The application also features nutritional information, food preparation tips, and recipes to help WIC participants get the most out of the WIC program.

No. Only one card is assigned per household.