Health Department and Family Service Share Updated WIC Guidelines

Published on August 15, 2024

Program celebrates 50th anniversary in 2024

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) and Family Service Lincoln today announced that more families are now eligible for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program under new income guidelines released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Under the new guidelines, a family of four can earn up to $57,720 a year and still be eligible for WIC benefits – an increase of $2,220 from 2023 when a family of four could earn up to $55,500.

“Nutritious foods and other services through WIC help keep children and families healthy,” said Bobbi Beat, WIC Program Manager for LLCHD. “Studies have shown that those who participate in WIC start prenatal care sooner, are more likely to breastfeed and breastfeed longer, have improved diets, more regular medical care and up to date vaccinations for children.”

WIC is a federal program that provides healthy foods at no cost for pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children up to age 5, including foster children. WIC also provides nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and education and community resources and referrals, all free of charge.

To be eligible for WIC, participants must meet income guidelines. Those receiving Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) or Aid for Dependent Children are automatically eligible for WIC. Mothers, fathers, guardians, and foster parents may apply for WIC for their children. WIC is also available to families experiencing homelessness.

LLCHD and Family Service Lincoln are the two local agencies serving Lincoln and Lancaster County. To make an appointment, call LLCHD at 402-441-6200 or Family Service Lincoln at 402-441-8655.

WIC locations and hours include: 

  • Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department – 3131 O Street, 402-441-6200, Mondays through Wednesdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 
  • Cornhusker Office – 27th Street and Cornhusker Highway, 402-441-4204, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 
  • Mill Towne – 501 S. Seventh Street, 402-441-8655 Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One Saturday a month, 8 a.m. to noon. Call for the next available date. 
  • First United Methodist Church – 2723 N. 50th St., 402-441-8655 One Friday a month, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call for next available date. 
  • Southern Heights Presbyterian Church – 5750 S. 40th St., 402-441-8655, one Thursday a month, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call for next available date. 

Nutritious foods that are part of the WIC program include: fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable juice, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, whole grain products like bread, pasta, rice, and tortillas, dried and canned beans and peas, canned fish, infant formula, infant and adult cereal, baby food, and soy-based beverages.

This year, WIC celebrates 50 years of helping families. The first WIC clinic opened in Pineville, Kentucky in 1974 and has grown to serve participants in 89 U.S. States, Tribes, and Territories. Today, 6.7 million women, infants, and children are served through the WIC program. The state of Nebraska serves around 36,000 participants annually.

“In 1975, WIC started in Nebraska serving 400 participants. By 1979, it had grown to 13 agencies in the state, including Lincoln’s first WIC clinic,” said Kayla Abel, WIC Program Coordinator for Family Service Lincoln. “Lincoln now serves nearly 7,000 clients through five different clinics and we see WIC changing more lives each and every day.”

Learn more about WIC at lincoln.ne.gov/health or familyservicelincoln.org/wic. Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is an equal opportunity provider.

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