Ohio WIC Program: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, often referred to simply as WIC, provides nutritious food for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants and young children that have low incomes and therefore are at risk for malnutrition or nutritional deficiencies. WIC provide a variety of healthful foods to women, infants and children, including eggs, milk, whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables, infant formula and baby cereal. In most areas, women receive vouchers to use at many grocery stores. In some areas, though, they receive packages of food. Unlike food stamps, WIC vouchers can only be used for very specific foods. They cannot be used to purchase snack foods or other unhealthful items, for instance.

Step One

Telephone the Help Me Grow Helpline at 800-755-GROW (4769) to find the location at which you can apply for WIC nearest you. You can find locations in nearly every county in the state of Ohio. Visit the appropriate office to apply in person. You'll need to provide proof of pregnancy or proof of your children's ages (such as birth certificates) along with proof of any income you have along with your application. When you call the Help Me Grow Helpline, ask for a list of all documents you need to submit. If you don't have any of the necessary documents, ask the staff if they can help you get them.

Step Two

Download an application from the Ohio Department of Health website if you prefer and mail it to your local WIC office. Call the Help Me Grow Helpline to get the address to which to mail it.

Step Three

Schedule an appointment at your local office for an interview to review your application. If you mail your application, you'll need to call the office to schedule the interview. Attend the interview as scheduled. If you have trouble getting to the office for any reason, call the office to let them know and ask if assistance with transportation can be provided to you. If you have an infant, let the WIC staff know if you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, because if you breastfeed you'll get extra food while if you bottle feed you'll get infant formula.

Sources:

Ohio Department of Health. http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/ns/wicn/wic1.aspx . Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

Ohio Department of Health. http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/ns/wicn/wicnfaq.aspx . Frequently Asked Questions Concerning WIC.

Ohio Department of Health. http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/ns/wicn/weligible.aspx . Ohio WIC Program Eligibility.