There are over 200 WIC offices across Washington State. To find a WIC office near you:

• Use the “Find a WIC Office” button in this app.
• Call the state WIC office at 1-800-841-1410 and press 0.
• Use Help Me Grow WA.
• Hotline at 1-800-322-2588
• Text “WIC” to 96859
• Visit HelpMeGrowWA.org

• Use the “WIC Stores” button in the WICShopper app
• Look for a “WIC Accepted Here” sign.

WIC Cards and Benefits

Q: Why can’t I see my current WIC food benefits in the app?

A: This can happen for a few reasons:

• Make sure your current WIC Card is registered in the app
• Benefits need to reach the EBT provider before you can see them in the app. Allow the app a few more minutes. Then tap the Refresh button in My Benefits to update your new benefit amount in the app.

• To see current benefits:
  • Tap ‘My Benefits’
  • Tap the Refresh button within My Benefits to refresh your information

• If you are not seeing any foods listed, and know you have benefits, it could mean benefits start in a few days. In this case your benefits will show up under “Future Benefits”.
  • Tap on View Future Benefits within the My Benefits screen.
• When current benefits show a zero balance, it means they’ve already been used.

Q: Can foster families register more than one child’s WIC Card in the app?

A: Yes, foster families can register more than one WIC Card in the same app.

To see each child’s WIC benefits

Scan Barcode or Key Enter UPC:

Q: I scanned some foods or key entered a UPC number and see some different messages.  What do they mean?

A:

• Allowed – WIC allows this item.Until you register your WIC Card in the app, this “allowed” message might not apply to your family’s benefits. For example, a one-year-old child gets whole milk on WIC. If you don’t have a one year old child in your family, whole milk won’t be part of your WIC food benefits, and you won’t be able to buy whole milk at the check stand.
• Not a WIC item – This item isn’t on the WIC approved foods list or this food item isn’t allowed. It can also mean it’s a new item that we haven’t seen before.
• Note: This message doesn’t apply to fresh produce. See fresh fruits and vegetables questions below.
• No Eligible Benefits – This item is WIC approved, but you either were not assigned this item or you do not have enough benefits left to purchase the product.
• Unable to identify – This means the app can’t read the barcode. Instead of scanning, you can use the “Key Enter UPC” button to enter in the 12-digit UPC number located under the food’s barcode.

Q: Why do some of my fresh fruits and vegetables scan as “Not a WIC item”?

A: WIC allows most fresh fruits and vegetables. Each fresh fruit and vegetable has its own local code. These codes aren’t the same among all stores. For this reason, the app doesn’t recognize all fruits and vegetables. Anytime the app doesn’t recognize an item, it will scan as “Not a WIC item”.  Use the WIC Allowable Foods button in the app for questions about allowed produce items.

Q: Why did my WIC Card not pay for my fresh blueberries or other fresh fruits and vegetables?

A: WIC allows most fresh fruits and vegetables. Check the WIC shopping guide or the WIC Allowable Foods button in the app for more details. If WIC benefits don’t pay for fresh produce, let us know. We will need to get the following information from you:

• Produce Item: The more details, the better. For example, instead of saying apples or blueberries, we need to know Gala apples or organic Driscoll blueberries.
• Date: The date you went shopping.
• Store name and location.

Each store must make sure fresh produce items link to a store WIC code. If stores miss linking an item, the item won’t scan as a WIC food at the check-out stand. Let us know by using the, “I couldn’t buy this!” button in the app. You can also email us at [email protected].

I couldn’t buy this!

Q: When would I use, “I couldn’t buy this”? And what is it?

A: Use this button when you think a food is WIC allowed, but when you get to the checkout stand, it’s denied. This button sends a message to us, so we can see why this might have happened.

Here’s what we do:

• We review all items sent to us.
• If items are approved, we add them to the WIC approved list.
• In some cases, allowed WIC items are denied at the store and we work to figure out why.

How you can help:

• For our review, we need as much detail as you can provide. This includes the following:
• Store name and location
• Item details – For example, Darigold lactose free 1% milk
• Food package size – The number of ounces or if comes in quarts, gallons, etc.
• 12 digit UPC code located with the barcode
• If possible, email pictures of the receipts for the items denied to [email protected]

Q: Where can I ask WIC food questions?

A: You can ask your WIC clinic or send questions to the state WIC foods team at [email protected].