|
Where
do I apply for WIC?
You can apply for WIC at the local health department in your area. Click
here for a list of WIC clinics in Utah.
What
happens at a WIC appointment?
To apply for WIC, you must first make an appointment with your local WIC clinic.
Most clinics are part of your local health department. The first available
appointment will be given to you, usually within 10 days of your call. Appointments
outside normal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) are available - just
ask.
At
your appointment, you will need to bring the
following information:
- Proof
of current income. You will need to bring current
check stubs from everyone in your family. Bring pay stubs from all of the last month's pay checks.
You may also bring your Medicaid card, or a
letter from Human Services showing how much
you receive in Food Stamps or the Family Employment
Program.
- Proof
of residency (address). This should be a utility
bill, a Medicaid card or a rent/mortgage receipt
with a street address printed on it.
- Proof
of identity. Bring identity for everyone who
will be on the WIC program. You may bring a
driver's license, birth certificate, Medicaid
card or a Social Security card.
- Immunization
record for all children.
Talk
to the WIC clinic if you are having problems
bringing any of the above information.
At
the clinic, you will be asked many questions.
Don't worry, all information shared with the
WIC clinic is confidential.
You
will meet with a nutritionist. She will then
tell you the reason you will qualify for the
program and what you will receive. She will also
give you simple ideas in improving your family's
diet. Ask the nutritionist any questions you
might have. They are there to help you.
Lastly,
you will receive WIC vouchers and an ID packet.
Vouchers are like regular checks with a few exceptions.
Each voucher has a list of specific foods you
can buy at the store. You cannot buy anything
that is not listed on your vouchers.
How
do I use my WIC vouchers?
You may shop at any store that has been approved as an Authorized
WIC Vendor. Many stores that are approved have a sign in the window. You
may also ask the store manager or your clinic staff if you are not sure where
to shop.
Each
voucher you receive will have a list of the foods
WIC has prescribed for you. Using your Food Card
List, select the least expensive brand of each
item listed. For example, if you have "2 gallons
milk" on your voucher, you should select the
cheapest milk they have on the shelf. If you
are shopping for your young child, select the
whole milk that costs the least.
As
you shop, separate the foods you are buying with
your WIC vouchers from any other foods you are
buying. Before ringing up your WIC foods, tell
the cashier that you will be buying this food
with WIC vouchers. If you are using more that
one voucher, help the cashier by separating your
foods by voucher.
Here
are a few other tips to keep in mind when shopping
with WIC vouchers:
- Do
not use your WIC vouchers before the "First
Day to Use" or after the "Last Day to Use." Look
at the dates before going to the store and
again before giving the voucher to the cashier
at the store.
- The person
who signed the packet at the clinic must
also be at the store to sign the vouchers.
- Always
take your ID packet to the store. The cashier
at the store will use your ID packet and match the signature on it to the signature you sign on the voucher.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
|
