En las noticias Discover the Benefits of WIC

Celebrate National WIC Enrollment Week!

National WIC Enrollment Week is Oct. 5-9, 2026—the perfect time to discover what WIC can offer your family! This year’s theme, "Discover the Benefits of WIC," highlights the support and resources available to WIC families—from healthy foods and breastfeeding support to nutrition education and referrals to health and social services.

WIC is more than groceries. It's a whole support system for you and your little ones. WIC has supported families for more than 50 years and currently serves millions of people! If you're pregnant, recently pregnant, breastfeeding, or caring for a child under 5, you, too, could be eligible for WIC.

Tune In to Our Instagram Live

Interested in learning more about WIC or have questions about the program? Join @WICYouGotThis at our Instagram Live event on Wednesday, October 7, at 8 pm ET as we celebrate National WIC Enrollment Week! You’ll have the chance to hear directly from WIC experts about the WIC experience, so bring whatever is on your mind and chat with us live!

Spread the Word

We invite you to lift up WIC and spread awareness of its benefits and support. Whether you're a current or former WIC participant or simply a champion for healthy families, there are plenty of ways to join the celebration. Every social post, share, story, and conversation helps more families discover the support they deserve, so join the celebration by using the hashtag #DiscoverWIC on social media. Together, we can make sure every eligible family knows about WIC!

WIC Benefits

WIC is a federal public health nutrition program dedicated to helping families live healthier lives. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have had a baby in the past 6 months, or are caring for a child under 5, you may be eligible to receive support from WIC. This includes dads, grandparents, foster parents, and anyone raising kids under five!

With WIC, your family can receive personalized benefits to support healthy child development and lifelong habits. 

Here are the benefits WIC can offer your family:

Healthy Foods

What's in a WIC food package? It depends on YOU! Every package is built around your family's unique nutritional needs during life's most important stages—supporting healthy growth and development from pregnancy through early childhood. With monthly benefits to buy nutritious foods, WIC helps put healthy choices within reach. WIC offers food packages designed for prenatal parents, postpartum and breastfeeding parents, infants, and children under age 5.

WIC families may also qualify for extra benefits to shop at farmers' markets! If your state participates in the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), you can receive additional benefits to purchase fruits, veggies, and fresh herbs at participating markets.

Nutrition Education

Beyond monthly food benefits, WIC offers hands-on support right in your local clinic, where staff can provide you with nutrition education, recipe ideas, tips for picky eaters, food safety knowledge, cooking skills, and much more. We believe that every meal can be a step toward a healthier future for your family! With WIC, you can make every bite count.

Breastfeeding Support

Breastfeeding and chestfeeding parents have the right to respectful lactation support, and WIC can offer you guidance, resources, and tools to meet your personal goals and needs. This can include International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), breast pumps and other breastfeeding supplies, and personalized support and tips for breastfeeding. 

Parents who breastfeed (including pumping) or combo-feed with breast milk and infant formula may also qualify for additional food and nutrition benefits.

WIC can also provide information about your protected rights to breastfeed and pump in public or at work or school. Let WIC help you reach your breastfeeding goals!

Healthcare & Social Service Referrals

WIC can also connect your family with additional community resources, so you can get the support you need. This can include referrals to healthcare providers like pediatricians, OBGYNs, midwives, and dentists, as well as immunization services to keep your family protected. If you need someone to talk to, WIC can help link you with substance use and domestic abuse counseling and can also connect you to social services for further assistance. At WIC, we meet you wherever you are. We’re here to help your family find the care and support you deserve.

Get Started with WIC Today!

Get more information about eligibility and what to expect at your first appointment. To learn more about WIC, you can explore signupwic.com or find a WIC clinic near you. 

Author

Whitney Dawn Carlson

Whitney is a Senior Communications Manager at the National WIC Association (NWA), where she's worked on WIC outreach since April 2020. She holds a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications (with minors in English, Political Science, and Sociology) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and brings more than 10 years of experience in social media, marketing, and storytelling to her work. Before making her way to Washington, D.C., Whitney was a journalist at the Chicago Tribune and the Lansing State Journal. At heart, she's passionate about global public health and believes deeply in the power of communities to keep families healthy and thriving.