WIC - Women, Infants & Children

WIC benefits make it easier for you to shop for healthy food, and can be used at participating grocery stores and farmers markets within New York State.

The WIC benefits cover foods including:

• Baby Food
• Brown Rice
• Canned Fish
• Cereal
• Cheese
• Dried or Canned Beans/Peas
• Eggs
• Fruit Juice
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Infant Formula
• Milk
• Peanut Butter
• Tofu
• Tortillas
• Whole Grain Bread
• Whole Wheat Pasta
• Yogurt

Due to the formula shortage, the NYS WIC formulary has alternate options for a limited time.  Depending on the formula you receive, you may be able to temporarily purchase a combination of formula brands and alternate container sizes.  If you can't find your assigned formula in the stores, the following resources are available:

See a list of WIC-approved baby formulas in New York State.

Learn more about foods and formula from New York State's WIC Vendors.

Please review the household size and income per pay periods to help determine if you're eligible for WIC benefits:

Effective 2023 - 2024
Pregnant individuals count as two people

One person household:
Annual: $26,973
Monthly: $2,248
Twice-monthly: $1,124
Bi-weekly: $1,038
Weekly: $519

Two person household:
Annual: $36,482
Monthly: $3,041
Twice-monthly: $1,521
Bi-weekly: $1,404
Weekly: $702

Three person household:
Annual: $45,991
Monthly: $3,833
Twice-monthly: $1,917
Bi-weekly: $1,769
Weekly: $885

Four person household:
Annual: $55,500
Monthly: $4,625
Twice-monthly: $2,313
Bi-weekly: $2,135
Weekly: $1,068

Five person household:
Annual: $65,009
Monthly: $5,418
Twice-monthly: $2,709
Bi-weekly: $2,501
Weekly: $1,251

Six person household:
Annual: $74,518
Monthly: $6,210
Twice-monthly: $3,105
Bi-weekly: $2,867
Weekly: $1,434

Seven person household:
Annual: $84,027
Monthly: $7,003
Twice-monthly: $3,502
Bi-weekly: $3,232
Weekly: $1,616

Eight person household:
Annual: $93,536
Monthly: $7,795
Twice-monthly: $3,898
Bi-weekly: $3,598
Weekly: $1,799

For each additional person:
Annual: +$9,509
Monthly: +$793
Twice-monthly: +$397
Bi-weekly: +$366
Weekly: +$183

In the Capital Region, WIC has many convenient locations in Albany, Ravena, Berne, Knox, and Westerlo. The WIC office has evening appointments available. To find out if you are eligible for WIC and to begin enrollment, please call the WIC office at 518-432-4033.

We offer breastfeeding discussion groups for anyone thinking about or planning to breastfeed. Bring your partner, family, or friends - anyone in your support system! It's free to attend.

Share questions and learn facts about breastfeeding and all of its great benefits.

Discussion topics include:

• Is breastfeeding for me?
• Breastfeeding when pregnant
• Breastfeeding in the hospital
• Postpartum breastfeeding
• How long should I breastfeed?
• Breastfeeding at work/school
• Breastfeeding and relationships

Signing up for a group is simple!  Ask a WIC staff member at your next appointment, or call the office at 518-432-4033.

Upcoming Dates (In-person only)

• Wednesday May 22, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
• Monday June 17, 2024 at 12:30 p.m.
• Friday July 12, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.

*Future dates to be determined

May 2024

May recognizes National Women's Health Week! May 12-18, 2024

Women's Health Week focuses on women's health issues and encourages all women to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

This year's theme is Empowering Women, Cultivating Health: Celebrating Voices, Wellness, and Resilience.  The theme's goal is to encourage women to engage in healthy practices and to empower them in their own health journey.

One way to engage in healthy practices is to stay up to date on all routine health care appointments. Here are some tips to help improve your health care visits:

• Be as open and honest as you can! Sharing information as best as you can helps your doctor provide the best possible care.
• Keep a health diary. This is a great spot to keep questions you need to ask during your appointment.
• Bring support. Bringing a family member or friend can help you feel more at ease, or help you remember any questions you need to ask.
• Second opinions are ok! If you're unsure about a treatment plan, or don't feel heard, don't hesitate to look for another provider.  Ask your WIC Nutritionist for a referral!

Learn more during Women's Health Week, and read daily spotlight topics

Breastfeeding Corner:

Breastfeeding gives babies a healthy start in life AND it's good for moms too!

WIC is here to help you take full advantage of all of these breastfeeding benefits.  For example, you can get a peer counselor (another mom with breastfeeding experience) and an enhanced food package to help you breastfeed successfully. To learn more, call the WIC office.

Health benefits: Research suggests breastfeeding lowers your baby's risk of certain infections and diseases, including ear infections, Type 2 Diabetes, diarrhea and vomiting, lower respiratory infections, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), childhood leukemia, childhood obesity, eczema, and asthma.

For moms: Breastfeeding can help you recover quicker from childbirth, or lose weight after childbirth. It can also reduce your risk for high blood pressure, certain breast and ovarian cancers, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Bonding with baby: Physical contact is very important for your baby. It helps your baby feel safe, warm, secure, and loved.  The skin-to-skin contact from breastfeeding also boosts your levels of oxytocin, a hormone that helps breast milk flow and helps you feel calm.

Nutrients: Breast milk is one of the best things that your baby needs to grow and develop. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It even changes to meet your baby's needs as he or she gets older.

Digestion: Babies can easily digest breast milk. Colostrum, the thick milk moms make during pregnancy and right after birth, helps your baby's digestive system grow.

Cost: Breast milk is free. Breastfed babies may also be sick less often, which may help keep health costs low.

Convenience: With breastfeeding, the milk is warm and ready to go whenever your baby is hungry.

Read more breastfeeding benefits from the USDA.

If you have questions about breastfeeding, call our office at 518-432-4033 or call our Peer Counselor Jackie at 518-649-3885

WIC Reminders:

Please email or fax measurements!  During the pandemic, WIC staff was allowed to accept verbally reported measurements for you and/or your children. However, we now need written or in-person measurements to update growth charts.   Feel free to email or fax us a WIC form, a doctor's visit summary, or screenshot of your health portal.

Please update your email addresses!  Recently, we have started emailing most handouts instead of sending via mail. Please inform the office if your email address has changed.

Farmers Market Coupons: Farmers market coupon season starts in June! Stay tuned for more details.

Looking for a dentist?  If you have CDPHP insurance, you can find a dentist in your area, or find dental resources, here.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800)-877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-
508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling 866-632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD[1]3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax: 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
email: [email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

For other complaints or to request a Fair Hearing contact:

Mail: WIC Program Director NYSDOH, Riverview Center 150 Broadway, 6th Floor, Albany, N.Y., 12204
Phone: 518-402-7093;
Fax: 518-402-7348; or email: [email protected]