The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey is the sponsor of the CHSofNJ Mercer County Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program. Providing WIC services offering supplemental, nutritious foods to pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children up to the age of five. WIC services include nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and support, immunization screening, and health care referrals. Enrollment is open to all eligible applicants. Services are provided at our administrative office located in Ewing and at satellite sites in Hamilton, Hightstown, Princeton, Trenton and throughout the county via our Mobile WIC Unit, WIC on Wheels at scheduled locations.
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For eligibility and verification please visit this link to see if you qualify via the state guidelines.
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NJ Department of Health Non-Discrimination Statement – English and Spanish
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
How Do I Apply?
Please contact the WIC office manager at 609.498.7755 ext. 1008 or 609.947.3391, or schedule an appointment with the receptionist at 609.947.3952. Follow the instructions below for what to bring to your appointment.
You may access the WIC Participant Portal here.
We are excited to announce our Digital Food Guide. Find tips and resources for infants, picky eaters, food planning and more!
- What are the WIC Eligibility Requirements?
- You are eligible for WIC Benefits 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 factor
- 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
- You are eligible for WIC Benefits if you are:
- 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.) If you are paid weekly bring 4 paystubs, if you are paid biweekly (every 2 weeks) bring 2 paystubs, and if you are paid monthly bring 1 paystub.
- 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 is applying for WIC (eWIC benefit, driver’s license, crib card, social security card, or birth certificate)
- Bring your children’s immunization records
- For your first appointment and all recertification appointments, please bring all of the following:
- What is a Certification Period?
- 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.
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What’s needed for Certification/Recertification
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Proof of Income, address/residency, proof of identification, and proof of pregnancy (if applicable) and the recent height and weight of each participant if it is available.
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- How Long Can I Stay on WIC?
- 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. Non-breastfeeding women or women who stop breastfeeding may receive benefits up to 6 months after giving birth. Infants and children are certified for 12 months and must be recertified every 12 months up to 5 years of age. However, there is a 6 month mid-certification and two nutrition education contacts. Participants will have a WIC contact event every 3 months during the 12 month certification period. The mid-certification and the nutrition education contacts may be virtual or in-person. The nutritionists will advise you if your next appointment will be virtual or in-person. If you are unable to bring your child(ren) to the office or go to the store to redeem your benefits, you may designate some trusted individual as an alternate authorized representative or a proxy.
- What is an Alternative Authorized Representative or a Proxy?
- An Alternative Authorized Representative can be the other parent, a legal guardian or a trusted individual and may represent an infant or child at a recertification instead of you. They must sign the required documents designating them as an Alternate Authorized Representative, and must be at least 18. This Alternate can serve as a Proxy as well. This individual may also be able to redeem your eWIC benefits on your behalf.
- What is the eWIC Benefits Card?
- The eWIC benefits card is an EBT card that is issued to each household to which all member’s WIC benefits are loaded during the certification period. Benefits are reloaded every three months following your contact with the WIC nutritionists. If you do not have a valid certification and have not kept your scheduled appointments either virtual or in-person, your benefits will automatically be discontinued until you schedule an appointment and meet with the appropriate WIC staff (nutritionist and/or lactation).
- What if I Lose My eWIC Benefits Card?
- Lost eWIC benefits cards are easily replicable. If you should lose your eWIC benefits card you should report the lost card to the WIC office immediately. The WIC representative will terminate the lost or stolen card and issue a new card. You will be asked to have the new card validated as you did with the previous card. Your eWIC Card is similar to any other EBT card that you may have. Please keep them in a safe and secure place. Please do not hesitate to call the WIC office to report a lost, stolen or damaged ID or eWIC benefits card.
- What if I Move?
- 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. Please ask the representative at your new program to request a Verification of Certification (VOC) from our office.
- When Will WIC Benefits Stop?
- 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
- 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 and use someone else’s eWIC benefits
- Physically or verbally abuse or threaten a WIC staff or store employee
- Use eWIC benefits to buy foods that are not authorized
- Sell WIC food to others
- Take cash or credit for eWIC benefits instead of buying WIC authorized foods
- Exchange WIC formula or food for other unauthorized brands
- Let someone other than your Proxy or Alternate Authorized Representative use your eWIC benefits card.
- Eligibility will end if:
- If I Lose My Benefits, Can I Appeal?
- 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.
- What Other Help is Available?
- 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).
- What Food Can I Buy With My eWIC Benefits?
- 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. You may access the WIC Shopper guide to get a list of the authorized WIC food and sizes. During your initial certification the WIC staff will also provide you with an updated WIC Program Guide which also list the authorized food items and sizes for your convenience. Please Note: You cannot choose different sizes or types.
- An additional benefit Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is provided annually to qualified participants. These benefits are distributed between May 1 and September 30 and must be redeemed by November 30. These benefits may be redeemed for locally grown New Jersey produce as authorized farmer’s markets.
- A list of authorized vendors per county can be found here.
- Click here for a list of Mercer County Farmer’s Markets that accept WIC FMNO benefits.
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 here. 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
Health & Prevention(breast Pumps)
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)
New Info Coming Soon
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 Office
1440 Parkside Avenue
Ewing, NJ 08638
Phone: 609.498.7755
Fax: 609.571.9540
Check out the amazing resources below to support you and your baby through breastfeeding!
-Are you a new or expecting mom/birthing parent planning for maternity leave? Most birthing parents are covered for a total of 22-24 weeks of paid leave benefits.
Use this tool to estimate the dates you’re covered by New Jersey paid leave benefits. https://nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/maternity/timeline-welcome.shtml
-Going back to work and leaving your baby is hard. To make it a little easier, talk to your employer about your milk expression needs—before you go on maternity leave. Get tips for talking with your employer about pumping at work.
https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/talking-your-employer-about-pumping-work
-Stay home with your baby longer and breastfeed longer with New Jersey Paid Family Leave! With Temporary Disability (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI), you can stay home for up to 24 consecutive weeks while receiving 85% of your salary.
Start your application: https://nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/maternity/
-Evidence shows that paid leave increases the duration of breastfeeding!
Learn more about NJ Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI): https://nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/maternity/
Under the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, most employees have the right to break time and a private space to express breast milk for their nursing child. This includes agricultural workers, nurses, teachers, truck and taxi drivers, home care workers, and retail workers.
Learn more: http://dol.gov/pump-at-work
Learning to hand express breast milk and use a breast pump can be a real game changer when you go back to work.
Become a Pumping Pro: https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/pumping-and-hand-expression-basics
Workplace Accommodations for Breastfeeding & Lactation
-Know your rights! Employers cannot retaliate against you for requesting or using an accommodation for pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Learn more: https://nj.gov/oag/dcr/downloads/fact_BRST.pdf
-You can receive 85% of your average weekly wage when you go out on maternity leave.
Learn more: https://nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/maternity/
-If you are breastfeeding, your employer must grant you reasonable break time each day, and a suitable private place (other than a toilet stall) in which to express breast milk, unless your employer can show that doing so would be an undue hardship on its operations.
Learn more: http://dol.gov/pump-at-work
-Returning to work can be a challenge in your breastfeeding journey. But with the support of your employer and a good breast pump, you can make it work. Ask your WIC breastfeeding peer counselor for tips on how she continued to breastfeed after returning to work. Remember, both you and your employer win if you can express milk at work.
Real moms talk about breastfeeding and their experience going back to work or school.
