North Carolina WIC helps certain residents of North Carolina by providing them nutritious food and education. The program extends its benefits further by providing referrals to various healthcare and social services.

North Carolina WIC benefits are available for low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants and children if they are on nutrition risk. A person is on nutrition risk a qualified health professional determines either diet or health risk existing in that person.

North Carolina WIC participants can buy food from designated stores, spread throughout the state. The participants should know what they can buy and what they can't using WIC benefits. Bread, cereals, milk, eggs, meat, poultry, beans, juices, vegetables, fruits, formula for infants, and cereals for children fall within the category of allowed foods. Participants can also buy some canned foods such as fish and beans with their WIC benefits. WIC participants will receive special instruments (with list of permitted food to buy) as well as cash vouchers to buy fruits and vegetables. You can find a list of approved foods here.

WIC extends its services to provide nutrition education to participants in North Carolina. The education program aims at teaching relationship between food, nutrients, and physical activity, hence enabling pregnant women and mothers to ensure healthy diet for themselves and their children. North Carolina WIC uses nutrition education to ensure that WIC food benefits are utilized properly, giving the maximum benefit to participants.

North Carolina WIC also provides referrals for healthcare services and helps participants build a strong relationship with health care community. The program also provides similar referrals and support for social services and immunization. WIC participants in North Carolina also receive expert advice and guidance on substance abuse.

Breastfeeding mothers receive special attention and care from North Carolina WIC. The program addresses breastfeeding because it is the most important food for infants, which contains all the necessary nutrients. Breastfed babies are stronger, healthier, and they are less prone to disease and infection. WIC participants receive special one-on-one counseling, advice, and equipment so that they can start breastfeeding their infants instead of keeping them on formula. Breastfeeding mothers also receive special food packages so that they can stay strong and their milk continues to provide all the necessary nutrients to the child.

Residents of North Carolina can apply for WIC by scheduling an appointment with their local WIC office or agency. When you're interviewed, you will be checked for eligibility. Make sure you take all the necessary documents with you to start receiving WIC benefits at the earliest. Ask your local WIC clinic or scroll down to know what documents to take with you for the interview.

Eligibility Requirements

Just like other states, North Carolina WIC is only available for certain residents i.e.

• Pregnant Women
• Postpartum Women
• Breastfeeding women up to the infants first birthday
• Children up to the age of 5 years

Those falling in the above mentioned categories will also have to meet the following basic requirements for WIC program in North Carolina:

• Citizenship
• Residency
• Income
• Nutrition Risk

Citizenship

North Carolina WIC is only available to U.S citizens and certain types of legal immigrants.

Residency

You can only get WIC benefits in North Carolina if you are resident of North Carolina. If you reside in another state, please contact your local WIC clinic to get information on program availability in your state.

Income

Applicant should meet income guidelines set for North Carolina WIC program. Household income for applicants should be less than 185% of Federal Poverty Line (FPL).

Applicants can check whether they qualify income guidelines for WIC program or not by comparing their annual household income with number of people in their household from the table below.

Household Size	Annual Income Limit
1	$20,665
2	$27,991
3	$35,317
4	$42,643
5	$49,969
6	$57,295
7	$64,621
8	$71,947

For additional person, please add $7,326 for each person in the household. Keep in mind that a pregnant woman counts as two persons and not one.

WIC Application Instructions

To apply for North Carolina WIC, you will have to contact local WIC clinic or agency. You can book an appointment for interview through phone and in person. Use this link to find nearest location and telephone number for a WIC office in your area.

You can also contact your local health department to get information on your local North Carolina WIC office. You can find contact information for local health department offices here: www.ncalhd.org/county.

Documents to bring to your interview

When you go for the interview, make sure that you are taking the following documents with you:

• Proof of identification: Take documents necessary to prove your identification. You can use a valid driver's license, social security card, medical card, birth certificate, immunization record, or military ID to prove your identification. For infants, you will have to bring ID bracelet or hospital crib card to verify their identity.
  
• Proof of residence: You current utility bill, medical card, driver's license, and rental or mortgage deed/receipt all can be used to establish your residence. When going to the interview, take any one of them with you.
  
• Proof of income: To prove that you're eligible for WIC program, you will have to take your proof of income with you when going for the interview. Paychecks, gross income letter from employer, and letter of unemployment are some of the documents that can be used for proving your income. To know what exact documents to take, contact your local WIC office.