WIC was established as a permanent program in 1974 to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. This mission is carried out by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, nutrition education (including breastfeeding promotion and support), and referrals to health and other social services.
Immunizing children against certain diseases is one important way to help them stay healthy. WIC’s mission is to be a partner with other services that are important to childhood and family well-being, such as immunizations. As an adjunct to services that provide immunizations, the WIC program’s role is to find out about a child’s need for immunizations and share that information with parents, including where to get a child immunized.
WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. WIC provides nutritious foods (primarily through retail grocery stores), nutrition counseling, and referrals to health care and social services.
Recently, the method used to calculate the number of individuals eligible for the WIC program was evaluated and an improved methodology was developed.