WIC Participants by County

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded health and nutrition program that provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. WIC supports California families by offering: - Food benefits based on individual participants’ nutritional needs and risk assessment; - Nutritional education and breastfeeding support; - Healthcare referrals and other community services. Participants must also meet income guidelines and other criteria. WIC local agencies (84 as of 2024) provide services monthly to approximately one million participants at 500 sites in local communities throughout the State. The food benefits can be used to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendor stores throughout the State (about 3,700 in 2024). Certified WIC participants are individuals who have completed the eligibility and enrollment process and are approved to receive benefits and services. Participating WIC clients refer to certified individuals who are actively issued benefits during a specific reporting period. There are three reports providing detailed information about WIC participants by year and month in California: (1) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by WIC Category; (2) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by Race/Ethnicity; and (3) WIC Participants by County of Residence, by WIC Category and by Race/Ethnicity. Each report is split into two files: 1) 2010-2018 data and 2) 2019 data onward. This is due to the transition to electronic benefit transfer in June 2019. Prior to June 2019, WIC issued paper food instruments (FIs {i.e., WIC checks}) to individual participants for purchasing supplemental, nutritious foods. Between June 2019 and March 2020, California WIC transitioned from the FI delivery system to a new Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. With the new system, each family’s WIC food benefits are loaded to its EBT account and accessed by its California WIC card, which works like a debit card. As a result of the change, the benefit redemptions (i.e., purchases) are no longer recorded at the individual level, but at the family level; which results in the 2019 and later data file not including a “Number of Redeemed Participants” column.

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded health and nutrition program that provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. WIC supports California families by offering: - Food benefits based on individual participants’ nutritional needs and risk assessment; - Nutritional education and breastfeeding support; - Healthcare referrals and other community services. Participants must also meet income guidelines and other criteria. WIC local agencies (84 as of 2024) provide services monthly to approximately one million participants at 500 sites in local communities throughout the State. The food benefits can be used to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendor stores throughout the State (about 3,700 in 2024). Certified WIC participants are individuals who have completed the eligibility and enrollment process and are approved to receive benefits and services. Participating WIC clients refer to certified individuals who are actively issued benefits during a specific reporting period. There are three reports providing detailed information about WIC participants by year and month in California: (1) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by WIC Category; (2) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by Race/Ethnicity; and (3) WIC Participants by County of Residence, by WIC Category and by Race/Ethnicity. Each report is split into two files: 1) 2010-2018 data and 2) 2019 data onward. This is due to the transition to electronic benefit transfer in June 2019. Prior to June 2019, WIC issued paper food instruments (FIs {i.e., WIC checks}) to individual participants for purchasing supplemental, nutritious foods. Between June 2019 and March 2020, California WIC transitioned from the FI delivery system to a new Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. With the new system, each family’s WIC food benefits are loaded to its EBT account and accessed by its California WIC card, which works like a debit card. As a result of the change, the benefit redemptions (i.e., purchases) are no longer recorded at the individual level, but at the family level; which results in the 2019 and later data file not including a “Number of Redeemed Participants” column.

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded health and nutrition program that provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. WIC supports California families by offering: - Food benefits based on individual participants’ nutritional needs and risk assessment; - Nutritional education and breastfeeding support; - Healthcare referrals and other community services. Participants must also meet income guidelines and other criteria. WIC local agencies (84 as of 2024) provide services monthly to approximately one million participants at 500 sites in local communities throughout the State. The food benefits can be used to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendor stores throughout the State (about 3,700 in 2024). Certified WIC participants are individuals who have completed the eligibility and enrollment process and are approved to receive benefits and services. Participating WIC clients refer to certified individuals who are actively issued benefits during a specific reporting period. There are three reports providing detailed information about WIC participants by year and month in California: (1) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by WIC Category; (2) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by Race/Ethnicity; and (3) WIC Participants by County of Residence, by WIC Category and by Race/Ethnicity. Each report is split into two files: 1) 2010-2018 data and 2) 2019 data onward. This is due to the transition to electronic benefit transfer in June 2019. Prior to June 2019, WIC issued paper food instruments (FIs {i.e., WIC checks}) to individual participants for purchasing supplemental, nutritious foods. Between June 2019 and March 2020, California WIC transitioned from the FI delivery system to a new Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. With the new system, each family’s WIC food benefits are loaded to its EBT account and accessed by its California WIC card, which works like a debit card. As a result of the change, the benefit redemptions (i.e., purchases) are no longer recorded at the individual level, but at the family level; which results in the 2019 and later data file not including a “Number of Redeemed Participants” column.

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded health and nutrition program that provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. WIC supports California families by offering: - Food benefits based on individual participants’ nutritional needs and risk assessment; - Nutritional education and breastfeeding support; - Healthcare referrals and other community services. Participants must also meet income guidelines and other criteria. WIC local agencies (84 as of 2024) provide services monthly to approximately one million participants at 500 sites in local communities throughout the State. The food benefits can be used to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendor stores throughout the State (about 3,700 in 2024). Certified WIC participants are individuals who have completed the eligibility and enrollment process and are approved to receive benefits and services. Participating WIC clients refer to certified individuals who are actively issued benefits during a specific reporting period. There are three reports providing detailed information about WIC participants by year and month in California: (1) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by WIC Category; (2) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by Race/Ethnicity; and (3) WIC Participants by County of Residence, by WIC Category and by Race/Ethnicity. Each report is split into two files: 1) 2010-2018 data and 2) 2019 data onward. This is due to the transition to electronic benefit transfer in June 2019. Prior to June 2019, WIC issued paper food instruments (FIs {i.e., WIC checks}) to individual participants for purchasing supplemental, nutritious foods. Between June 2019 and March 2020, California WIC transitioned from the FI delivery system to a new Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. With the new system, each family’s WIC food benefits are loaded to its EBT account and accessed by its California WIC card, which works like a debit card. As a result of the change, the benefit redemptions (i.e., purchases) are no longer recorded at the individual level, but at the family level; which results in the 2019 and later data file not including a “Number of Redeemed Participants” column.

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded health and nutrition program that provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. WIC supports California families by offering: - Food benefits based on individual participants’ nutritional needs and risk assessment; - Nutritional education and breastfeeding support; - Healthcare referrals and other community services. Participants must also meet income guidelines and other criteria. WIC local agencies (84 as of 2024) provide services monthly to approximately one million participants at 500 sites in local communities throughout the State. The food benefits can be used to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendor stores throughout the State (about 3,700 in 2024). Certified WIC participants are individuals who have completed the eligibility and enrollment process and are approved to receive benefits and services. Participating WIC clients refer to certified individuals who are actively issued benefits during a specific reporting period. There are three reports providing detailed information about WIC participants by year and month in California: (1) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by WIC Category; (2) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by Race/Ethnicity; and (3) WIC Participants by County of Residence, by WIC Category and by Race/Ethnicity. Each report is split into two files: 1) 2010-2018 data and 2) 2019 data onward. This is due to the transition to electronic benefit transfer in June 2019. Prior to June 2019, WIC issued paper food instruments (FIs {i.e., WIC checks}) to individual participants for purchasing supplemental, nutritious foods. Between June 2019 and March 2020, California WIC transitioned from the FI delivery system to a new Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. With the new system, each family’s WIC food benefits are loaded to its EBT account and accessed by its California WIC card, which works like a debit card. As a result of the change, the benefit redemptions (i.e., purchases) are no longer recorded at the individual level, but at the family level; which results in the 2019 and later data file not including a “Number of Redeemed Participants” column.

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a federally funded health and nutrition program that provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. WIC supports California families by offering: - Food benefits based on individual participants’ nutritional needs and risk assessment; - Nutritional education and breastfeeding support; - Healthcare referrals and other community services. Participants must also meet income guidelines and other criteria. WIC local agencies (84 as of 2024) provide services monthly to approximately one million participants at 500 sites in local communities throughout the State. The food benefits can be used to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendor stores throughout the State (about 3,700 in 2024). Certified WIC participants are individuals who have completed the eligibility and enrollment process and are approved to receive benefits and services. Participating WIC clients refer to certified individuals who are actively issued benefits during a specific reporting period. There are three reports providing detailed information about WIC participants by year and month in California: (1) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by WIC Category; (2) WIC Participants by County of Residence and by Race/Ethnicity; and (3) WIC Participants by County of Residence, by WIC Category and by Race/Ethnicity. Each report is split into two files: 1) 2010-2018 data and 2) 2019 data onward. This is due to the transition to electronic benefit transfer in June 2019. Prior to June 2019, WIC issued paper food instruments (FIs {i.e., WIC checks}) to individual participants for purchasing supplemental, nutritious foods. Between June 2019 and March 2020, California WIC transitioned from the FI delivery system to a new Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. With the new system, each family’s WIC food benefits are loaded to its EBT account and accessed by its California WIC card, which works like a debit card. As a result of the change, the benefit redemptions (i.e., purchases) are no longer recorded at the individual level, but at the family level; which results in the 2019 and later data file not including a “Number of Redeemed Participants” column.