Rhode Island WIC (women, Infants, and Children) provides nutrition food and education to qualified residents of Rhode Island who are at nutrition risk. The program wants to focus on growth during the most critical phase of growth and therefore it only covers women, infants, and children. Pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women are eligible for the program generally.

The program only enrolls those who are at nutrition risk. It can be of two types i.e. health risk and medical risk. Whether an applicant is facing health risk or medical risk, it will count as nutrition risk for the purpose of WIC in Rhode Island. In addition to being on nutrition risk, applicants will also have to be on low-income, which will eventually cause the nutrition risk.

The program provides wide range of services for the eligible women, mothers, infants, and children. It provides support and equipment for breastfeeding women, helps them with referral for medical and social services, and educates them about breastfeeding. The program also educates participants so that they can understand nutrition value of food.

The program also provides income support to participants so that they can buy nutrition food and live a healthy life. Since the program supports infants, children, pregnant women, and mothers, it's main purpose is to provide the best chance for a healthy growth during critical phase when such families can't afford nutrition food.

Those receiving WIC benefits enjoy from a better health. Participants show higher birth weight with lower infant mortality. The babies have improved blood iron levels due to the nutrition food consumed by the mother during her pregnancy. The program supports breast-feeding by providing one-on-one advice and training to the new mothers. Mothers will also receive equipment such as breast pumps and breast caps to help themselves with breastfeeding. It will eventually improve baby's neurological development helping nation build better brains.

Rhode Island participants can buy food from permitted categories. The WIC program has separate food category for women, infants, and children. Therefore, the program provides adequate food for all participants. Infants can receive benefits for up to one year of age. Children can get nutrition food for up to their fifth birthday while women can enjoy benefits during and after pregnancy. Applicants will have to apply for Rhode Island WIC in order to receive benefits. They will have to setup an appointment with their nearest WIC clinic.

For more information on WIC program in Rhode Island, please call 800-942-7434.

Eligibility Requirements

Rhode Island WIC requires applicants to be among the following categories to be considered for benefits:

• Pregnant women
• Breastfeeding mothers
• Postpartum women
• Infants under the age of 1 year
• Children under the age of 5 years

Those who fall within these categories, will have to meet general requirements for Rhode Island WIC to start receiving benefits:

• Applicant must be a U.S citizen or a qualified alien
• Applicant must be a resident of Rhode Island
• Applicant must be on a nutrition risk as determined by a qualified health professional
• Applicant's household income and resources should be below the limit set by Rhode Island WIC

Rhode Island WIC requires applicants' household income to be within income limits defined below according to the size of household.

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

If your household has more than eight people, then you can add $7,326 for each additional person.

For the purpose of Rhode Island WIC, a household is a unit of people where people live together, buy food together and prepare meals together. They don't have to be relatives to be considered one household unit.

WIC Application Instructions

Applying for WIC in Rhode Island is easy. All you have to do is to follow these simple steps.

Call a WIC clinic near you

Start by calling a WIC clinic near you. You can get phone number for WIC clinics in Rhode Island using this clicking here. You will also find address of all WIC clinics operating Rhode Island on the same page.

Reach WIC clinic at scheduled appointment

Once you have called and gathered your date of appointment, go to WIC clinic for screening. If you've applied WIC benefits for your child, don't forget to take him or her along. WIC officials will screen your child for iron and growth development to determine amount of benefits.

Once you have been interviewed and screened, you will start receiving benefits immediately. If you qualify for other health and social services programs, WIC representatives will guide you for that as well. If you are breastfeeding mother and need help with that, WIC will provide services as well as equipment to help you.