Women, Infants & Children Support

Women, Infants & Children (WIC) is a federal nutrition program that helps families to live a healthier life. Catholic Charities is the WIC administrator for Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties. Call (716) 218-1484 for more information or to sign up, or email wicinfo@ccwny.org.

WIC Peer Counselor Jillian was very grateful for WIC's nutrition and education support she and her twin sons Patrick (background) and Gabriel (foreground), received, from the time of their birth through age 5.

WIC

At WIC, we believe all families deserve to thrive. WIC provides nutrition education and counseling for pregnant people and for families with young children; breastfeeding/chestfeeding support; meaningful referrals to resources your family needs, and food benefits on your eWIC card.

To contact Catholic Charities WIC, please call (716) 218-1484, or email wicinfo@ccwny.org. For a list of our WIC main offices, including office emails, please click here.

Information for Families

WIC is a free nutrition program for:

  • Pregnant people
  • Breastfeeding/chestfeeding parents until baby turns 1 year old
  • New post-partum parents until baby turns 6 months old
  • Babies and children up to age 5

A foster parent or any caregiver can sign a child up for WIC. A pregnant person can sign up for WIC as soon as you know you are pregnant.

To get WIC, you must live in New York State AND meet the income guidelines below.

If you receive Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you automatically qualify. WIC does not require US citizenship, social security number, or green card to receive benefits. To reach any of our sites serving Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties, call (716) 218-1484. Not all of our locations are open every day, so please call us for the site schedule.

For a list of our WIC main offices, including office emails, please click here.

What WIC Does For You

  • Nutrition Education and Counseling: Talk with our nutrition experts who specialize in nutrition for pregnant and post-partum people and their children
  • Breastfeeding/chestfeeding: Support and information about breastfeeding/chestfeeding your baby including access to breastfeeding/chestfeeding experts.
  • eWIC Benefit Cards: Get healthy foods with your eWIC card at many stores. Use your Farmer’s Market checks to get fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Referrals: What gets in the way of your health? We look at your family’s social determinants of health – conditions in the places where you live, learn, work and play that affect a wide range of health and quality-of life-risks and outcomes – to determine your specific needs. Then, we will offer information on services to help you and your family reach your health equity goals and thrive.

Forms you may need for your WIC appointment:

Information for Health Care Providers and the Community

As part of our community outreach and referral strategies, we work with health care providers. It is important for providers to know that WIC is a public health preventative program where families meet with qualified nutritionists and registered dieticians to evaluate their family’s health and make a plan for health and wellness. The WIC Medical Documentation Form is a tool used by health care providers to communicate the nutritional and dietetic needs of participants with nutritionists prescribing food packages to families.

Information for health care providers: Click here.

Community Agency and Health Care Providers: If you are interested in learning more about the WIC program, please call Kendra, our WIC Outreach Specialist, at 716-341-6323. WIC is able to do presentations for your staff or clients, participate in your community meetings or events, or supply you with WIC brochures for easy referrals to WIC. WIC conducts outreach online, over the phone, or in person, as appropriate.

General Contact Information

WIC Help Line (716) 218-1484

Callers can:

1. Make or change appointments

2. Ask general questions

3. Be connected with a nutritionist or breastfeeding specialist

4. Request outreach materials or presentations, and

5. Connect with any WIC staff member throughout Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties.

If you are interested in learning more about the WIC program, please email wicinfo@ccwny.org

Helpful Links

Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network is another agency whose mission is to improve pregnancy outcomes and promote better health care for pregnant and post-partum people and children. They can help link you to primary health care, social support and more resources in Erie County.

WIC Breastfeeding (usda.gov)

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online here

Report WIC Fraud

Growing Up Healthy Hotline at (800) 522-5006

This institution is an equal opportunity provider, for the complete non-discrimination statement, click here.