Florida’s WIC Program Provides Nutrition Services for Women,  Infants, and Children

The Florida Department of Health recognizes and celebrates the special supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for more than 50 years of service strengthening families. Since 1974, WIC has provided services to eligible infants, children under age 5, and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or postpartum. Foster parents, single fathers, and grandparents are also encouraged to utilize WIC services for eligible children in their homes. 

Administered through the Florida Department of Health, the WIC Program helps improve the health and nutrition of infants, children, and women throughout the state by providing nutrition education, breastfeeding education and support, referrals to other health and social services, and supplemental nutritious foods at no cost to the participant. The WIC Program is available in all 67 counties in Florida and serves approximately 392,000 Floridians every month. 

Women who participate in the WIC Program during pregnancy have healthier pregnancies and improved birth outcomes. This is the result of the program’s emphasis on early participation, encouraging pregnant women to enroll during their first trimester. WIC Program participation is also associated with increased breastfeeding initiation rates, with the percentage of Florida WIC infants ever breastfed reaching 85.5% as of March 2026.  

To be eligible for the WIC Program, an individual must be a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, a woman up to six months postpartum, an infant, or a child under age 5. Additionally, the applicant must meet the WIC Program’s income guidelines, reside in Florida, and have a nutritional need that can be helped by the Program’s foods, nutrition education, and counseling services. WIC Program nutritionists work directly with caregivers to educate them about what is best for their babies’ and families’ nutritional needs while encouraging them to build healthy habits.