COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has announced a new online portal that should make it easier for families to pre-apply for the state's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Special Supplemental Nutrition program.
Families will be able to create a secure account where they can upload and update required pre-screen documentation -- including medical and health data, and income eligibility -- before scheduling a WIC appointment.
DHEC manages South Carolina's WIC program, which provides education and supplemental foods for pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children under five. The program currently serves 48.4% of the WIC-eligible population of South Carolina and is open to families with a household income at or below 185% of the poverty level or who are enrolled in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Medicaid programs. Families -- moms, dads, grandparents caring for grandchildren and foster parents -- can check their eligibility for WIC at the new DHEC portal.
After applicants are approved for WIC, they receive an eWIC card, similar to a debit card, that makes it easy for families to buy WIC foods at South Carolina WIC-authorized stores. WIC participants are also eligible to participate in the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program to purchase South Carolina grown fresh fruits and vegetables at approved local farmers' markets and farm stands throughout the state.