Who is eligible for WIC?
Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or who recently had a baby. You can stay on WIC for one year after your baby is born if you are breastfeeding, or six months if you are not breastfeeding.
Infants from birth to 1 year of age.
Children from 1 year of age to their 5th birthday.
Clients must live in Michigan
You will need to renew your WIC certification yearly, as applicable.
Benefits to Women and Newborns
WIC saves health care dollars. Every WIC dollar spent on a pregnant woman saves over $3.50 in federal, state, local and private health care costs.
[Source: WIC and the Nutrient Intake of Children, Victor Olivera and C. Gunderson, FRED, ERC, USDA, FANRR #5. March, 2000.]
WIC participation significantly increases the number of women receiving adequate prenatal care.
WIC participation dramatically lowers infant mortality among Medicaid beneficiaries.
WIC improves the dietary intake of pregnant and postpartum women. It also improves weight gain in pregnant women.
WIC participation decreases the incidence of low birth weight and lowers pre-term births.
Benefits to Children
WIC participation lowers the rate of anemia among children ages 6 months to 5 years.
WIC significantly improves children's dietary intake of vitamins and nutrients such as iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamine, protein, niacin, and vitamin B6.
4- and 5-year-olds who participated in WIC in early childhood have better vocabularies and digit memory scores than comparable children who did not participate in WIC.
WIC participation leads to higher rates of immunization against childhood diseases.
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency conducts WIC clinics on a regular weekly schedule. Breastfeeding support and dietitian counseling is provided and encouraged. A Nutrition Information Mall is available for clients in all of our sites, for convenience (quicker in and out) of Nutrition Education. During the summer months, as funding is made available, Project Fresh coupons are made available for fresh Michigan produce from local vendors to clients who meet eligibility requirements.
view monthly schedules / calendars
Online WIC Nutrition Education (WIC Mall)
Additionally, clients who meet eligibility may also access the WIC nutrition education via the Internet. Use the link to access on-line WIC nutrition education if you have received authorization to do so.
visit site
For more information on the WIC program or to schedule an appointment for WIC, please contact the local agency office.
WIC Bridge Card
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is now utilizing EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards. EBT is used instead of paper coupons.
view EBT
EBT has many benefits!
Replaces paper food stamps and checks
Safer and more secure than carrying cash or checks
Faster payment
Convenient and easy to use
WIC EBT
Replaces paper coupons
You don’t have to purchase all of your WIC food benefits at one time
The receipt given at the end of shopping shows your remaining WIC food benefit balance
Board of Health Meeting Schedule
Board of Health Meeting Minutes