If you are:
- Pregnant (up to six weeks after delivery)
- Postpartum (up to six months after delivery)
- Breastfeeding (up to one year if you continue breast feeding)
- An infant
- A child under five years old
And:
- Have a nutrition or medically related health risk
- Live in New Jersey (proof of residency required)
- Meet income guidelines (proof of income required) WIC income eligibility requirements are located here: WIC Program Info
Please call the WIC office at (609) 498-7755 for an appointment. Follow the instructions below for what to bring to your appointment.
What Do I Need to Bring to My Appointment?
For your first appointment and all recertification appointments, please bring all of the following:
- every woman, infant, or child applying for the program
- your Medicaid or Families First cards, if you have either
- proof of household income no more than 30 days old (includes paystubs, unemployment; Social Security; disability, child support, alimony, etc.)
- proof of address in your name, no more than 30 days old (a letter mailed to you, a utility bill, your lease, etc.)
- proof of identity for each person who applying for WIC (WIC ID folder, driver’s license, crib card, social security card, or birth certificate)
- your children’s immunization records!
What’s needed for Certification/Recertification: Proof of Income, proof of address/residency, proof of identification, and proof of pregnancy (if applicable) and the recent height and weight of each participant.
A certification period is the time when you are eligible to get WIC benefits. When your certification period ends, you will need to recertify. For recertification appointments, you will need to bring everything under the “What Do I Need to Bring to My WIC Appointment?” section again.
Pregnant women can apply for the WIC Program at any time during their pregnancy. They must recertify after they have their baby. Breastfeeding women can stay on WIC until their infant’s first birthday (they will recertify when the infant turns 6 months old). Non-breastfeeding women or women who stop breastfeeding receive benefits up to 6 months after baby is born. Infants and children are certified for 6 months and must be recertified every 6 months up to 5 years of age.
Your Authorized Foods List names all the types, sizes and brands of WIC foods we allow. Notice that it lists specific juices, cheeses, and cereals. These are the only ones allowed. Each check tells you exactly what size and type of food to buy with that check. You cannot choose different sizes or types. NOTE: Spend each check within its valid dates. Expired checks are not replaced! You can view a list here: NJ Gov WIC Program Information
A list of authorized vendors per county can be found here: NJ Gov WIC authorized vendors.
Click here for a list of Mercer County Farmer Markets that accept WIC checks.
WIC encourages women to breastfeed their babies for the best infant nutrition and a healthy start! Our Breastfeeding staff is here to help! If you choose to formula feed, WIC provides only iron- fortified formula until your baby is 1 year old. WIC is a supplemental program, and does not provide all of the food you will need for the entire month. Your baby’s WIC checks will allow you to buy only the brands approved by the State WIC Office. You cannot exchange WIC approved formula for another brand at the store.
If the Authorized Representative signs a form designating an Alternate Authorized Representative, the other parent or a legal guardian may represent an infant or child at a recertification. An Alternate must be at least 18. This Alternate can serve as a Proxy too. If the Authorized Representative wants only a Proxy, they can choose anyone over the age of 16 just to pick up checks or cash them at the store.
Ask the WIC representative about choosing an Alternate Authorized Representative or a Proxy. An Alternate and a Proxy must know what foods are allowed and how to cash the checks.
Lost checks are not replaced, so please keep them in a safe and secure place. Call the WIC office to report a lost or damaged ID or stolen checks. Stolen checks may be replaced if you provide a police report. WIC ID folders can always be replaced if you bring in a proof of ID.
Call WIC immediately at (609) 498-7755. If you move within the area, please let us know your new address. If you leave New Jersey, we can arrange to transfer you to another WIC program.
Eligibility will end if:
- your child reaches 5 years of age
- you stop breastfeeding and your baby is 6 months or older
- your family income exceeds WIC limits
- you do not recertify after your current eligibility period expires
- You may be disqualified (terminated) if you:
- enroll in more than 1 WIC program or clinic at the same time, including those in Pennsylvania, New York, or Delaware
- give false information about your income, family size, residence, etc.
- steal WIC checks
- physically or verbally abuse or threaten a WIC staff or store employee
- use WIC checks to buy foods that are not authorized
- sell WIC checks or WIC food to others
- take cash or credit for WIC checks instead of buying authorized foods;
- spend or try to spend checks you reported as lost or stolen;
- make any changes on your checks, like alter the date or food amount
- exchange WIC formula or food for other brands
- spend checks before or after the dates listed on them
- let someone other than your Proxy or Alternate Authorized Representative use your checks or WIC ID
- spend your checks at a store that is not authorized to cash your checks
These actions can result in either a warning letter or disqualification. If you are disqualified, you will not be allowed to reapply until the disqualification period expires. You may have to pay back benefits you were not supposed to receive.
If you are denied benefits or are disqualified, you may ask for a Fair Hearing within 60 days of notification. You or your representative may call, write, or visit the WIC office to request a Fair Hearing.
Ask any WIC staff member for a list of local programs that may help you (daycares, SNAP, Medicaid, food pantries, utility assistance programs, shelters, etc).
Children’s Home Society of New Jersey’s Mercer County WIC Program
Locations & Hours coming soon
We Want to Hear Participants’ Experiences with the CVB Increase!
Hello WIC participant the CHS WIC Program takes pleasure in serving you and your families. We hope you are satisfied with the services and benefits you have been receiving. Most participants have received additional Cash Value Benefits (CVB) in the amount of $24.00-$47.00 to purchase fresh fruits and vegetable. Distribution of these benefits are scheduled to terminate on December 31, 2021. Your local WIC agency, the State of NJ WIC program and the National WIC Association (NWA) our advocate organization want participants to share their experiences with the CVB increase benefits. We look forward to continue serving you.
As NWA continues advocating to extend the Cash Value Benefit (CVB) increase, we ask WIC staff and stakeholders to encourage WIC participants to share their stories with us. We want to know how the CVB increase has impacted their lives!
Through this link, participants can record a testimonial, upload photos, and more. We also encourage you to upload testimonials that you already have on file. NWA will use the content to bolster our CVB advocacy, including using it for social media, including it in the CVB toolkit, and adding it to the WIC Hub.
WIC Participation Portal
Participants have the option of uploading their documents to the Participant Portal.
Access the WIC Participant Portal at: https://wic.nj.gov/participantportal: The participant portal is a secure link created by the State of New Jersey WIC program to provide easy access for participants to contact the local WIC agencies and upload their documents. Participants may choose to create their own WIC Portal. This will give them access to review the date and time of their next WIC appointments and what documentation will be needed. Participants may also view account information, update information, add information (about, for example, a newborn baby or information for a temporary proxy). Uploading All required documents before appointment will assist in determining eligibility and expedite the intake process.
Breast Feeding in the Workplace Resources
Government in action on breast feeding
Health & Prevention(breast Pumps)
Going Back to Work
It’s Only Natural
Health & Social Service Support Agencies in the Mercer County Area
Health & Social Service Support Agencies
A checklist for what you will need for your first WIC appointment(or if you’re re-certifying)
A guide for what you will need
en español
Use the WIC Shopper app on your mobile device to help make your shopping easier
You can download it on your Apple or Android device
WIC Shopper UPC Scan Tips_
WIC Authorized Vendors
eWIC News December 2021
