The mission of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is to improve the lifelong health and nutrition of pregnant women, new mothers (breast-feeding and non-breast-feeding), infants, and children by providing nutrition education, nutrient-rich supplemental food, and health and social service referrals.

Authorized by Congress in 1972 as a two-year pilot program, WIC became permanent in 1974. The WIC Program has over almost 30 years of experience providing nutrition education and supplemental food to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children. In a 1999 survey, WIC scored second highest among 30 high-impact government programs in customer satisfaction.

The US Congress established WIC because research showed that pregnant women, postpartum breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women, infants, and young children from families with inadequate income were more likely to have poor pregnancy outcomes and mental and physical problems. The research also showed that adequate nutrition and health care could reduce risks to physical and mental health.

The California WIC Program currently serves approximately 1,138,081 women, infants and children in the State of California. Of those 1,138,081 WIC participants approximately 176,886 are women, 285,980 are infants and 675,215 are children between the ages of 1 and 5 years. California WIC operates 82 programs throughout the state that provide WIC services. Each month our Fresno WIC clinic serves approximately 26,000 women, infants and children. We serve the largest number of clients in the United States at one site with an annual operating budget of approximately $3,813,427. Participants receive $21,840,000 worth of nutritious foods annually.

The US Congress established WIC because research showed that pregnant women, postpartum breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women, infants, and young children from families with inadequate income were more likely to have poor pregnancy outcomes and mental and physical problems. The research also showed that adequate nutrition and health care could reduce risks to physical and mental health.

WIC is a nutrition program for:
• Pregnant women
• Breast-feeding women (up to one year postpartum)
• Non-breast-feeding, postpartum women (up to 6 months postpartum)
• Infants
• Children until the age of 5 years

The WIC Program provides:
• Nutrition education including breast-feeding support
• Nutritious foods to supplement a person’s regular diet
• Health and social service referrals

Some of the foods offered are:
• milk
• juice
• iron-fortified cereal
• cheese
• iron-fortified formula
• peanut butter
• eggs
• beans

Some of the education and information provided is:
• infant feeding
• nutrition for a healthy pregnancy
• special diets
• food buying
• child growth and development

WIC participants must meet certain financial requirements and be "nutritionally at risk" to qualify for the program. To be eligible for the WIC Program, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
• Categorical
• Residential
• Income
• Nutritional Risk

What has WIC accomplished?
The WIC Program has been successful in improving the health of pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children and in reducing health care costs. Various studies indicate that WIC has achieved the following:
• Pregnant women have fewer premature and low-birth-weight babies
• Pregnant women are more likely to get prenatal care
• Reduced rates of iron deficiency anemia
• Better cognitive development in WIC children
• Improved immunization rates
• Higher breast-feeding rates
• Decreased infant mortality

Who is responsible for the operation of the WIC Program?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides funding and policy to the California Department Health Services to operate the WIC Program in the State of California. State WIC in turn provides funding and policy to county health departments, or private non-profit agencies to provide WIC services for people in individual California counties.