WIC is available to pregnant, breast feeding and postpartum women, infants and children up to age five. To participate one must:

1. Be a resident of North Carolina or receive health care in North Carolina. Aliens are eligible to apply as long as they reside in the state.
2. Have a family income less than 185% of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines. A person receiving Medicaid, Work First Families Assistance (AFDC), or Food Stamps automatically meets the income eligibility requirement. Refer to chart.
3. Be at nutritional risk. A nutritionist or other health professional makes the nutritional risk assessment at no cost to the participant. Examples of nutritional risk conditions are listed below:

• Abnormal anthropometric or hematological measurements
• Documented nutrition-related medical conditions
• Inadequate dietary intake
• Conditions that predispose a person to inadequate nutritional patterns such as lead poisoning, mental retardation, alcohol or drug abuse

WIC Certification Periods

• Pregnant women are certified for their pregnancy and up to six weeks postpartum.
   
• Non-breast feeding postpartum women are certified until six months postpartum.
  
• Breast feeding postpartum women are certified up to 12 months postpartum
  
• Infants are certified up to one year
  
• Children are certified every six months until five years of age.

185% OF POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES: (Effective April 1, 2007) 
Size of Family Gross Income Per Year Month Week