Wisconsin WIC
Last updated August 2026
Wisconsin WIC provides healthy food on an eWIC card, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or recently had a baby, plus infants and children up to age 5. Foster parents and relatives can apply for a child in their care. To find your local clinic, call 1-800-642-7837.
Who can apply is broader than the stereotype. WIC is not only for mothers; it directly serves infants and children up to their fifth birthday, and a father, grandparent, or other caregiver raising a young child can apply for that child.
The income line is 185 percent of the federal poverty level. For July 2026 through June 2027 that is $2,461 a month for one person, $3,337 for two, $4,212 for three, $5,088 for four, or $29,526 to $61,050 a year. A working family fits under that line more often than people guess.
Here is the shortcut in the income step: if you already use BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid, FoodShare, tribal food distribution, or kinship or foster care, you are adjunctively income-eligible and skip the extra income proof.
Enrollment finishes at an appointment, and you can provide proof of identity, address, and income in person or online through a Family Portal account your local office sets up. If you do not get a normal paycheck, an employer can complete the WIC Employer Statement (form F-40076) as proof of income. After enrolling you check in with WIC every three months.
WIC adds to the grocery budget; it does not replace it. FoodShare carries the core food budget and a household can hold both, and WIC staff actively connect families to BadgerCare Plus and FoodShare. A WIC peer counselor can also help with breastfeeding.
Phone 1-800-642-7837
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding people, and infants and children up to age 5, who live in Wisconsin and have a nutritional need
- Household income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level; a parent, foster parent, or relative can apply on a child's behalf
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Call 1-800-642-7837 to find your local WIC clinic.
- 2
Ask whether to bring documents in person or set up a Family Portal account online.
- 3
Bring proof of identity, address, and income, or proof of BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, or foster care.
- 4
Complete the nutrition visit and receive your eWIC card; check in every three months.
What to have ready
- Proof of identity for you and any child you are enrolling
- Proof of Wisconsin address
- Proof of income, or proof of BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid, FoodShare, or foster care. Form F-40076 works if you have no paycheck.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Who qualifies for WIC in Wisconsin?
People who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or recently had a baby, plus infants and children up to age 5, within 185 percent of poverty. Foster parents and relatives can apply for a child.
What is the income limit?
185 percent of the federal poverty level: $2,461 a month for one person, $5,088 for four, from July 2026 through June 2027.
Do I need income proof if I am on other benefits?
Not separately. Being on BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid, FoodShare, tribal food distribution, or foster care makes you adjunctively income-eligible.
Can fathers or grandparents apply?
Yes. WIC serves infants and children directly, and any caregiver, including fathers, grandparents, and foster parents, can apply for a child under 5.
What if I have no regular paycheck?
An employer can complete the WIC Employer Statement, form F-40076, as your proof of income.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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