Benefits of Being On WIC ?? ?

Question

How do u benefit from being on wic?? and does that money get taken out of your income tax?? wud we have to pay it back? My gf is having her baby next month and were both curious to know about it...people tell us its a good idea and wed be stupid not to.,,besides saving alot of money what else is it food for? and how do we sign up if were interested?

Answer 1

DEPENDING ON YOUR STATE:

What is WIC?

  

WIC is a supplemental food and nutrition program for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding or post-partum women or children under the age of five who have a nutritional risk. The program provides nutritious foods, individual and group nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion

and referrals to health and social services. WIC's goal is to decrease the risk of poor birth outcomes and to improve the health of participants during critical times of growth and development.

  

How Does WIC Help Families?

  

WIC participants receive:

Special checks to buy specific, healthy foods, such as milk, juice, eggs, cheese, cereal, dry beans and peas, peanut butter and iron-fortified infant formula

Quality nutrition education and services

Breastfeeding promotion and support

Access to health and social services.



  

WIC Works!

  

Pregnant women who participate in the WIC program have:

earlier prenatal care

a healthier diet

an increase in full term pregnancies

fewer low birth weight babies

fewer fetal and infant deaths.

This translates into enormous savings in health care dollars. These prevention efforts saves over $3.50 for every $1.00 spent on WIC.



  

Benefits For Children Who Participate in WIC:

  

Improved growth

Lower rates of anemia

Increased immunization rates

Better access to health care

Improved consumption of key nutrients

Enhanced cognitive abilities



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What about fathers?

Fathers of children under the age of 5 are encouraged to enroll their children in the WIC program. Just like any other parent or guardian, fathers can bring their children to appointments, attend nutrition classes, and receive and redeem benefits for their children. Active participation by fathers is a great help in keeping WIC children healthy.

Are services free?

Yes! All WIC services are free to those who are eligible.

Who provides the services?

The Department of State Health Services runs the Texas WIC program and provides funds to agencies across the state who run local WIC offices. All kinds of agencies offer WIC services such as local health departments, county and city agencies, migrant health centers, community action agencies, and hospitals.

Many local offices are open in the evenings and on Saturdays so that clients do not have to miss work.

There are over 300 full-time, permanent WIC offices and more than 200 other part-time satellite sites, so finding a WIC clinic close to you shouldn't be a problem.

Eligibility Requirements

Meet the income guidelines. Households with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty income level are eligible. WIC determines income based on gross income. WIC counts all of the members of a household, related or unrelated. WIC counts an unborn baby as a household member. Click to view Income Eligibility Guidelines (114K, PDF) viewing information .

Be at nutritional risk. WIC clients receive an initial health and diet screening at a WIC clinic to determine nutritional risk. WIC uses two main categories of nutritional risk: (1) medically-based risks such as a history of poor pregnancy outcome, underweight status, or iron-deficiency anemia, and (2) diet-based risks such as poor eating habits that can lead to poor nutritional and health status. Clients will be counseled at WIC about these risks and the outcome influenced by nutrition education and nutritious foods provided by WIC.

Live in Texas. WIC clients usually receive services in the county where they live. U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for eligibility.

Clients must apply in person except in certain limited cases.

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How to Become a WIC Client:

Are you a pregnant woman, breastfeeding a baby less than one year of age, a postpartum woman (one who had a baby within the last six months), or have an infant or a child who is less than 5 years old? If yes, call 1 (800) WIC-FORU [1 [phone]] Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to obtain the telephone number and address of a WIC clinic that is close to where you live.

Call or go by the clinic to make an appointment for a pregnant woman, breastfeeding woman, postpartum woman, infant, or child less than 5 years of age.

At the time of your appointment, bring documentation of your household's source of income or wages. This applies to all members of the household. Some examples of documentation include a paycheck stub, a current tax return, a letter from an employer, a Social Security check, a child-support check, or self-employed accounting records. Applicants and certain family members who receive Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or Food Stamps automatically meet income eligibility by bringing acceptable proof of their participation in one of these programs—they do not have to bring other income documents.

At the time of your appointment, bring docum

Answer 2

WIC is free for low-income families with babies, you get food for your baby, like formula, baby jars, peanut butter, bread, etc. You don't have to pay it back and you don't have to claim it on your taxes, but remember, other peoples' taxes are paying for it, so if you don't need it anymore, get off of it. Before you take money and food from the government that others have paid for, make sure you're giving up your own luxuries, first, like internet and cable TV.

Answer 3

"If you can afford cable TV, then you should be able to afford your childs nutritional requirements."  how can people be so ignorant as to even say something like this?  

I'm on WIC.  I'm college-educated.  I'm married.  But my baby's formula alone costs $250 per month - he has to be on ready to feed Alimentum.  I've paid taxes as a working adult for 12 years before going on WIC for me and my baby.  The truth is that WIC offers a lot more than just free food for you and your baby.  They offer nutritional advice and counseling and health advice.

Just sign up for it.  It's totally worth it.  

Answer 4

Wic has a lot of benefits and no you dont have to pay it back.

You get a lot of milk..cheese juice and formula..other things like peanut butter and beans also.. It helps alot--Look up wic in google with your zip code and it will tell you where you should go..GL

Answer 5

YES ITS FREE!!! YOU SAVE ALOT OF MONEY IN FOOD, BABY FORMULA AND ITS HEALTHY. ITS FREE FOR 5 YEARS AND YOU DONT HAVE TO PAY BACK!!!

Answer 6

When I was laid off from work in my early twenties we qualified for WIC.  

It's an excellent program.  Does not require repayment and it does not get claimed on income taxes.

You will more than likely end up with more formula, milk, cheese, peanut butter, healthy cereals, baby foods, etc than you will use.  It is a very generous program if/when you qualify.

Answer 7

WIC is totally worth the appts and paperwork. It is never paid back - it is a benefit from the Federal Government to ensure pregnant moms and babies are eating right.

She should have been on it all the way through pregnancy - you've missed out on free milk, cheese, cereal, peanut butter, carrots, tuna, etc... She should go sign up tomorrow!

If she breastfeeds (I highly recommend!), she will continue to receive extra food. Baby benefits until age 5. They will provide all formula if you need that too. Even special formula with a doctor's prescription. My daughter was allergic to soy and dairy - had Nutramigen (over $20 per can) and they paid for it all!

Only negative is getting hemoglobin checked once in a great while - finger poke. That's it. It was always worth it!!!

Answer 8

WIC gives you baby formula FOR FREE. No you don't have to pay anything back. As your baby grows they give you food n' stuff according to their development. For example, cereal once they can eat it, cheese, milk etc. I would call the 800 number and give them your info ( number of family members and income). They will tell you over the phone if you qualify. if you do then ask them for the address of the nearest WIC office. you go there and sign up.

Answer 9

if you meet the income requriements....then you get WIC...if you get it it is free....all you/she has to do is show up every 3-6 months to get more checks and every 6mo to 1 yr to recertify.  she can also get things for her before the baby is born.  its a great idea.  9 cans of formula a month really helps out....it isn't enough, but those suckers aren't cheap!!! 9 x 14$ + tax that you dont have to pay and free nutrition advice.  you would be stupid not to see if your income qualifies.  if it doens't  i would suggest using store brand of formula it is usally half the price of name brand.  

the not so good stuff... some times you have to wait past your appointment time.  crowded wiating areas depending on what sized area you live in. i have seen some smelly kids (in NYC) but i moved out to yhe country and its nice.  

Answer 10

wic is a great program and you really should get it she could have had it the whole pregnancy and y'all would have been able to get milk cheese eggs juice cereal and dried beans or peanut butter. and after the baby is born if she breastfeeds you still get all of those plus some for formula if you ask for it. now if she don't breastfeed all you would get is the formula until the baby gets older and than you get baby cereal and juice. i would suggest telling them that you are going to breastfeed so that you can still get the items. i am on it and it saves so much money cause they give you 51/2 gallons of milk a month and at 4 dollars a gallon it can really add up 2 dozen of eggs a month lots of juice up to 2 box's of cereal a month and 1Ib of dried beans or a thing of peanut butter. and say for instance that your baby had to have a special formula mine does and his costs almost 30 dollars a can and i get 8 of them a month could you imagine how much i would have to spend a month if i was not on wic just so he could eat it is crazy

and the only thing that i have a problem with is that the people at the cashier register seem to treat me differently when i get my wic items than when i do not

oh and you do not have to pay any of it back it does not effect your taxes at all

Answer 11

You get free food and formula for 5 years and you never pay it back and WIC has nothing to do with taxes.

Answer 12

WIC has nothing but benefits.  You should have got on when your girlfriend first got pregnant.  As long as she income qualifies anyway.  You don't get anything deducted from your check and its not like welfare that you have to pay back.  Its absolutely free.  They provide food for pregnant, breastfeeding, postpartum (up to 6 months) women, babies, and children under 5 years.  They provide milk, juice, cheese, eggs, peanut butter, beans, cereal, and sometimes fruits and veggies.  They provide formula, or a a breast pump and lactation help.  They also provide babies baby cereal.

Google your state and WIC and find the nearest office, or call 2-1-1 to have them find you an office.  Bring with you proof of pregnancy, proof of income, proof of address, and ID

Answer 13

Can I be honest to you?

Let me just say this- If you are going to have s*x and make a child- Please have the responsibility to raise the child yourself. If you can't afford a child, please dont have s*x, or get on a good birth control.

If you can afford cable TV, then you should be able to afford your childs nutritional requirements.

Answer 14

you go to the local health dept to get on wic it is a income based program that she could of been on the whole time see was prego and till 6 months after the baby. Babies and kids get it till they are 5 years old. you pay nothing for it. they give you coupons to get fromula, cereal, milk, cheese, eggs, and peanut butter/beans. you get juice and baby cereal too.