The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program serves pregnant women, infants, and children from birth to age 5. WIC offers one-on-one health and nutrition counseling and breastfeeding support. WIC also helps parents and foster parents pay for nutritious food and formula, if breastfeeding is not an option. Nutrition professionals monitor weight, immunizations, and dietary needs to achieve optimal health.

“WIC really helps bridge the gap our income leaves. It allows us to ensure plenty of healthy choices.”

– York County WIC Client

Supplemental Nutritious Foods
The foods provided through WIC are designed to supplement your and your child’s diet with specific, key nutrients. Foods include infant and adult cereal, fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin-C, juice, eggs, milk, cheese, peanut butter, dried and canned beans, peas and/or fish, and other soy-based options.

WIC promotes breastfeeding as the best source of nutrition for infants; however, we recognize that not all women decide, or are able, to breastfeed. For non-breastfeeding women, WIC provides iron-fortified infant formula. Special infant formulas and medical foods may be provided when prescribed by a doctor for a specified medical condition.

Screenings & Referrals
Assuring your child receives the immunizations, screenings, and other health services he or she needs to stay healthy is an important way in which WIC supports the health of your child. We encourage you to bring your child’s immunization record to your WIC appointment so that our staff can review it and provide referrals to a health care provider if needed.

Nutrition Education & Counseling
WIC offers one-on-one nutrition education and counseling to pregnant women so you can understand which nutrients and foods are most important for you and your baby. A Nutrition Counselor will work with you to help you determine which foods to eat (and which to avoid) to best support your physical wellness during pregnancy.

Breastfeeding Support
WIC promotes breastfeeding as a means to improve the nutritional status of infants. To help support new mothers to breastfeed, we offer information and educational materials, breastfeeding Peer Counselors, breast pumps, and enhanced food packages.

Over 2,500 York County women, infants, and children received over $1.6 million worth of nutritious food through the WIC program.

Other Fun Benefits
We want your visits to WIC to be helpful and positive. At each appointment, your child will have the opportunity to choose a free book to bring home. WIC also offers periodic cooking demonstrations and story time activities.

Do I Qualify for WIC Services?
To qualify for the York County WIC program, you must be pregnant, have a newborn, or have a child under the age of 5.

Eligibility is also based on your gross income (your income before taxes are withheld), which must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines. If you receive MaineCare, SNAP, or TANF benefits, you automatically meet the income eligibility requirement.

Click here for WIC eligibility income guidelines.