Who is Eligible for the Nebraska WIC Program?

WIC Eligibility Requirements

Residency Requirement 

• Must live in Nebraska

Categorical Requirement

• Pregnant woman

• Breastfeeding woman – up to 1 year

• A woman who recently had a baby within last 6 months

• Infant or child less than 5 years of age (including foster children)

Nutrition Risk Requirement

You must have one or more nutrition risks factors such as:

• inadequate weight gain

• overweight

• poor diet

• underweight

• anemia

Income Requirements

• You must meet income limits. The income limits are set by the United States Department of Agriculture. They are revised each year.

• WIC uses the same income criteria as reduced priced school lunches.

• Many working families qualify.  For example, a household of four could make up to $3,269 a month or $39,220 a year to qualify.

• You are automatically income eligible while participating in: Medicaid, Food Stamps, Kids Connection, or Aid to Dependent Children (ADC).  Foster Children under five years old that are receiving Medicaid are also income eligible for WIC.

 What are the Income Limits?  

• All applicants to the Nebraska WIC Program must meet income guidelines for participation in the program.  The income guidelines are 185% and below of the Office of Management and Budget’s income guidelines (same as for reduced priced school meals).

• The income guidelines for the Nebraska WIC Program are updated and provided to the local agencies as a revision to the procedure manual, on or before July 1, each year.

Nebraska WIC Income Guidelines
Effective July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009 

Family Size	Annual Income	Monthly Income	Twice Monthly Income	Bi-Weekly Income	Weekly Income
1	19,240	1604	802	740	370
2	25,900	2,159	1,080	997	499
3	32,560	2,714	1,357	1,357	627
4	39,220	3,269	1,635	1,509	755
5	45,880	3,824	1,912	1,765	883
6	52,540	4,379	2,190	2,021	1,011
7	59,200	4,934	2,467	2,277	1,139
8	65,980	5,489	2,7455	2,534	1,267
9	72,520	6,044	3,022	2,790	1,395
10	79,180	6,599	3,300	3,046	1,523
11	85,840	7,154	3,577	3,302	1,651
12	92,500	7,709	3,855	3,558	1,779
13	99,160	8,264	4,132	3,814	1,907
14	105,820	8,819	4,410	4,070	2,035
15	112,480	9,374	4,687	4,327	2,164
Refer to the supplement chart for additional family members. These income guidelines are 185% of the Office of Management and Budget’s income guidelines (same as for reduced price school meals), in accordance with Sec. 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1996 and Federal Regulation 246.7 (c ) (1).

Number in Household: To figure the number in your household, include all people who share their income, foods, and household expenses.  These people usually live together, but not always.  Members of a household do not have to be related but are counted if they share in the consumption of foods and services.  For a pregnant woman, each unborn infant counts as 1 extra person in the household size.

Income means: gross income before taxes and deductions. 

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For more information contact:
Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) Program
P.O. Box 95026
Lincoln, NE 68509-5026
Phone: (402) 471-2781
Toll Free: 1-800-942-1171
E-mail: peggy.trouba@dhhs.ne.gov

WIC Page