March is National Nutrition Month! Stop by every week for new tips and recipes. This week’s tip: Grow a Veggie Garden! Click here for Spanish version.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
CHSofNJ is the Mercer County WIC services provider, 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 Ewing office and via our Mobile WIC Unit, WIC on Wheels.
PLEASE CONTACT WIC DIRECTLY AT 609.498.7755 (ext. 1008 for office manager, or 1014 for the lab)
For eligibility and verification please visit this link to see if you qualify via the state guidelines.
NJ Department of Health Non-Discrimination Statement
Help Us Strengthen WIC Through FY24 Budget!
- What are the WIC Eligibility Requirements?
- 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
- If you are:
- How Do I Apply?
- 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 is a Certification Period?
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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.
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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 (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.
- What Foods Can I Buy With my WIC checks?
- 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. - What Should I Feed my Baby?
- 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.
- What is an Alternative Authorized Representative or a Proxy?
- 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.
- What if I Lose My Checks or ID?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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).
- Where are the other Mercer County WIC Offices?
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)
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 Authorized Vendors
NJ eWIC Rollout Schedule
eWIC News December 2021
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
-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.