Department of Health
John J. Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner
About WIC
About WIC
WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children and is also called the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. WIC is a federal program designed to provide supplemental food to low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and children until the age of five. The program provides a combination of nutrition education, supplemental foods, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals for health care. WIC has proven to be effective in preventing and improving nutrition related health problems.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds the WIC Program. The Tennessee Department of Health provides the services in about 140 county health department locations and hospital sites throughout the state. The program serves about 178,000 eligible participants each month. Participants must be residents of Tennessee, meet the gross income guidelines and be determined to be at nutritional or medical risk.
Supplemental food instruments (vouchers) and cash value vouchers are issued to participants and can be used to purchase approved food items at any of the 1,000+ participating WIC authorized grocery stores and pharmacies.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
OR CALL 1-800-DIAL-WIC (1-800-342-5942)
Click to view a list of local health departments
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Director, Office of Adjudication,
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410
or call (866) 632-9992 (voice) or (202) 260-1026 (local).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Food Package
WIC foods provide nutrients essential for growth and development. These nutrients are provided by fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, low fat milk, cheese, eggs, peanut butter and dry beans and special foods like soy beverages and tofu.
The WIC supplemental foods that are offered to participants are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infant feeding guidance.
WIC Food Lists 2010-2012
Healthcare Providers
- Barley Basics
- Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Tips
- Getting to Know Tofu
- Whole Grains
- WIC Food Packages Comparison
- WIC Foods for Pregnant Women
- WIC Foods for Non-Breastfeeding Mothers
- WIC Foods for Fully Breastfeeding Mothers
- WIC Foods for Partially Breastfeeding Mothers
- WIC Foods for Your Infant
(Birth - 11 months) - WIC Foods for Your 1 Year Old Child
(12 - 23 months) - WIC Foods for Your 2 Year Old Child
(24 - 35 months) - WIC Foods for Your Child
(3 - 4 years)
- Barley and Black Beans
- Barley Casserole
- Barley Raisin Salad
- Broccoli and Brown Rice Salad
- Brown Rice and Lentil Stew
- Brown Rice Casserole
- Brown Rice Chicken Bake
- Bulgur Chili
- Bulgur Garden Salad
- Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Garbanzo and Rice Salad
- Hearty Bulgur Beef Soup
- Strawberry Buttermilk Salad
- Sweet Potato Buttermilk Casserole
- Tofu Chili
- Tofu Skillet Supper
- Tofu Sloppy Joes
- Tofu Stir Fry
- Vegetable Barley Soup
- Veggies and Tofu Pasta
- Zesty Bulgur Salad
Income Guidelines
Income Eligibility Criteria
Income eligibility is uniform statewide and is determined at the local level by the clerk in the health department.* The participant’s household income (gross) must be no more than the WIC income guidelines (185% of the USDA income poverty guidelines).
WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines
July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012
Family Size |
Annual |
Monthly |
Twice Monthly |
Bi-Weekly |
Weekly |
1 |
$20,147 |
$1,679 |
$840 |
$775 |
$388 |
2 |
$27,214 |
$2,268 |
$1,134 |
$1,047 |
$524 |
3 |
$34,281 |
$2,857 |
$1,429 |
$1,319 |
$660 |
4 |
$41,348 |
$3,446 |
$1,723 |
$1,591 |
$796 |
5 |
$48,415 |
$4,035 |
$2,018 |
$1,863 |
$932 |
6 |
$55,482 |
$4,624 |
$2,312 |
$2,134 |
$1,067 |
7 |
$62,549 |
$5,213 |
$2,607 |
$2,406 |
$1,203 |
8 |
$69,616 |
$5,802 |
$2,901 |
$2,678 |
$1,339 |
Each Add'l |
+7,067 |
+589 |
+295 |
+272 |
+136 |
Note: Do not allow hardship deductions from the above income poverty guidelines. A standard deduction has been included in all of the above income levels.
*At each certification, the gross income is determined and filled in on the Informed Consent Form. The PHOA and the applicant/participant must sign the income form at each certification. English version (PH-1530) and Spanish version (PH-3290).
Participation Reports
Participation History Report by Month
Please choose a region from the drop down list below:
The following is the list of Metros:
The following table contains the counties that make up each region:
| Northeast Tennessee | Southeast Tennessee | Mid-Cumberland | Northwest Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carter Greene Hancock Hawkins Johnson Unicoi Washington |
Bledsoe Bradley Franklin Grundy Marion McMinn Meigs Polk Rhea Sequatchie |
Cheatham Dickson Houston Humphreys Montgomery Robertson Rutherford Stewart Sumner Trousdale Williamson Wilson |
Benton Carroll Crockett Dyer Gibson Henry Lake Obion Weakley |
| East Tennessee | Upper Cumberland | South Central | West Tennessee |
| Anderson Blount Campbell Claiborne Cocke Grainger Hamblen Jefferson Loudon Monroe Morgan Roane Scott Sevier Union |
Cannon Clay Cumberland DeKalb Fentress Jackson Macon Overton Pickett Putnam Smith Van Buren Warren White |
Bedford Coffee Giles Hickman Lawrence Lewis Lincoln Marshall Maury Moore Perry Wayne |
Chester Decatur Fayette Hardeman Hardin Haywood Henderson Lauderdale McNairy Tipton |
Governor Bill Haslam
