WIC Services

Nutrition services are the core of WIC! WIC understands that the first years of life are the formative years for shaping healthy eating attitudes and habits. Your children learn from watching you and take their lead from you. For more information about services, visit www.pawic.com 

Nutrition Counseling and Breastfeeding Support

WIC provides personalized nutrition counseling based on you and your family's needs like when to start feeding your baby cereal, fruits, vegetables, and meat. This includes tips on getting your child to eat vegetables.

WIC also supports breastfeeding mothers or pregnant women preparing to breastfeed. Through WIC you can learn about the benefits of breastfeeding, visit with trained staff to help with breastfeeding questions and concerns, and provide breast pumps if needed.

Health and Children's Immunization Screenings and Health Assessments

Children also receive free health screenings (height and weight, doing a simple blood test) to help determine nutritional status. WIC assesses each participant's medical history and dietary intake to identify areas of need. It screens immunization records of all participants up to 24 months of age and provides referrals to health care providers or organizations that can provide the appropriate immunizations.

The results of the health assessment are used to identify other programs and services available to WIC participants. Examples would be Healthy Beginnings Plus, SNAP (Food Stamps), CHIP, and Medical Assistance. Participants not receiving medical services are encouraged to seek and maintain appropriate care. In return, many health and social service organizations refer their clients to WIC.

Authorized WIC Food Stores

WIC Checks Provide Nutritious Foods from any of the 1,900 WIC Authorized Stores in Pennsylvania. A participant's supplemental food package is determined at the WIC office and printed on the checks. Click here for the WIC Food List  (WIC Food List in Spanish).

The nutritious foods include the following:

• Fresh frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables;
• whole grains (whole wheat pasta/bread/rolls, brown rice, oats, or whole wheat/corn soft tortillas);
• milk (regular and lactose-free as required);
• yogurt;
• soy beverage and tofu;
• 100% fruit and/or vegetable juice;
• peanut butter;
• cheese;
• eggs;
• canned or dried beans and peas;
• cereal (half are whole grains);
• infant iron-fortified formula;
• infant iron fortified cereal;
• infant jarred fruits and vegetables;
• jarred infant meats (fully breastfed babies only); and 
• canned chunk light tuna, pink salmon, & sardines (fully breastfeeding moms only).

WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)

FMNP was established in 1993 to provide fresh fruits and vegetables from farmers' markets to WIC participants; and to expand consumers' awareness and use of farmers' markets. In Pennsylvania, the FMNP operates in 67 counties at over 1,000 market and farm stand sites. The program provides checks to WIC participants to purchase locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables at their local farmer's market every year between June 1 and November 30. Pregnant and postpartum women, breastfeeding mothers, and children over two years of age are eligible for this program.

All of these services are provided at no cost to the participant.

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