HomeMy WebLinkAboutwic-card-shopping-guide-engWelcome to WIC
Shopping with your California WIC Card
0123 4567 8901 2345
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Welcome to WIC
WIC is a Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children. WIC serves pregnant
women, women who have recently been
pregnant, infants, and children up to their
5th birthday.
Moms, dads, grandparents, foster parents, other caregivers,
and guardians may apply for the children they are raising.
Many working families, including military and migrant
workers, as well as families that have private health
insurance, are surprised to learn that they qualify for WIC.
WIC provides benefits for a variety of nutritious
foods, nutrition education, support for
breastfeeding, and referrals to other
services in your community.
About Your
WIC Visit
When enrolling in WIC or recertifying for WIC benefits, WIC
staff will ask for information to verify your eligibility.
WIC staff may ask you to bring:
• Your infant or child to the WIC office.
• Proof of your family’s household income.
• Proof of your address.
• Identification.
• Medical forms filled out by your health care provider.
• Proof of pregnancy.
At WIC appointments you receive your WIC food benefits
and attend a group class or get one-on-one education.
Topics the WIC educator or nutritionist may talk about
include healthy eating and cooking and how to be active.
You will learn what to expect from your infant or toddler’s
feeding, and how to get breastfeeding off to a good start.
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What if I cannot come to
my WIC appointment?
Call your local WIC office to reschedule. You also can send
a caretaker. A caretaker is a person you choose who can go
to your WIC appointments and shop for you.
• WIC staff need to know the name of your caretaker
so they can keep your WIC file up to date.
• Your caretaker may complete recertification or
follow-up appointments.
• Your caretaker must show his or her identification
at the WIC office.
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Using Your
California WIC
Card
At the WIC office you receive
a reusable California WIC Card.
All your family’s WIC food
benefits are together on one
WIC Card. The WIC Card is like
a debit card and makes
shopping easy. Keep your WIC
Card safe. Never throw it away.
Always bring your WIC Card
along with identification to
your WIC appointments.
Your Personal Identification
Number (PIN)
When you get your California WIC Card, you need to choose
a 4-digit Personal Identification Number or PIN. Use your
PIN with your WIC Card every time you shop for your WIC
foods. Choose a PIN that is easy for you to remember and
hard for others to guess.
Always bring
your WIC Card
along with
identification
to your WIC
appointments.
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Keep your PIN safe:
• Do not write your PIN on your WIC Card or anything
you keep with your WIC Card.
• Do not share your PIN with others. If you have
someone shop for you, share your PIN only with a
person that you trust.
• Carefully enter your PIN at the store. You have 4
chances to enter it correctly. After 4 tries, your WIC
Card will be locked and you will not be able to get
your WIC foods. Call the toll-free number on the back
of your card for help. Locking the WIC Card protects
against someone trying to guess your PIN and getting
your food benefits.
When someone learns your PIN without
your approval, you will need to change
your PIN. If someone takes your WIC Card
and knows your PIN, they could get your
WIC foods. Any WIC foods purchased by
someone else, before you report your WIC
Card lost or stolen, will not
be replaced.
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Your WIC Food Balance
Your WIC Food Balance shows the foods and the
amounts available to your family every month. As you
shop and use your WIC foods, your Food Balance will
change. Be sure to shop for all of the foods in your WIC
Food Balance before they expire.
There are many ways to find your WIC Food Balance:
Get a printout at your WIC office.
Use the free California WIC App
on your smart phone.
Call the toll-free number on the back
of your WIC Card, 1-844-4MY-FAMILY or
1-844-469-3264.
Go online to www.myfamily.wic.ca.gov.
Ask the cashier or customer service desk at
the store to print out your WIC Food Balance.
Look at your store receipt from your
last shopping trip.
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Finding a WIC
Authorized Store
Use your WIC Card only at stores
authorized to accept WIC. To find
a WIC authorized grocery store:
• Use the free California WIC App
on your smart phone.
• Go online to
www.myfamily.wic.ca.gov.
• Look for a WIC logo near
the front door or window of
the store.
• Ask your local WIC office for
a list of stores in your area.
Pay close attention to the start and end
dates of your family food benefits. Your WIC
food benefits are good for 30 days and expire
at midnight on the end date. Benefits do not
carry over to the next month.
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At the Store
You can use your WIC Card to get just what you need at
each shopping trip. There are many ways to check the
brands, sizes, and types of WIC foods you can get:
• Use the free California WIC App to scan the package
barcode.
• Look at your WIC Shopping Guide.
• Ask a store employee for help.
Separate your WIC foods from your non-
WIC items as you shop. Keeping your WIC
foods separate will make checking out
easier. Some stores may have to scan your
WIC foods first.
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Checking out at the
Grocery Store
Stores have slightly different checkout systems.
Follow the instructions from the cashier at your store.
Start your checkout:
Separate your WIC foods from your
non-WIC items. Some stores may need
to scan your WIC items first.
Always swipe your WIC Card first before
using other forms of payment, such as
CalFresh, debit card or cash.
Tell the cashier you are using your
WIC Card.
Ask the cashier when to swipe
your WIC Card and enter your PIN.
Pay close attention as the cashier
scans each WIC item.
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After the cashier scans all your items:
Look over your WIC purchases and make
sure all items are correct before your sale is
totaled. The cashier may give you a receipt
or show you a screen to review.
Wait for the cashier to complete the sale
and give you a final receipt. Save your
receipt in a safe place, such as your wallet.
Confirm all your purchases are correct using
the card machine. Any foods not available in
your WIC Food Balance can be put back or
bought using another form of payment.
Give the cashier your store loyalty card
and any coupons you have.
Pay for any non-WIC items using another
form of payment.
Tell the cashier if you want to put
something back before the cashier
gives you the final receipt.
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Reading Your
Receipt
WIC foods purchased
Your receipt may look different.⚑
Discounts for coupons, store loyalty card
Expiration Date: the last day you can get the
rest of your WIC foods. Your food benefits will
expire at midnight on that day.
WIC Food Balance for your family
Dollar amount of cash benefit fruits
and vegetables for your family
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SAMPLE STORE
123 ANY STREET ADDRESS
ANYTOWN, CA, 99999
TERMINAL ID: 123MERCHANT TERM ID: NEW123456CLERK ID: 999DATE & TIME: 4/12/2020 11:05AMSEQ NUMBER: 005CARD: ************1234
AUTH CODE: 123456
WIC PURCHASE
QTY UNITS DESCRIPTION PRICE
--------------------------------------------------------
16.00 OZ CHEESE, REGULAR 1 @ $4.99 4.99
16.00 OZ WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA
1 @ $2.99 2.99
1.00 DOZ EGGS
1 @ $2.79 2.79
2.97 $$$ FRUITS & VEGGIES CVB
=================================
PURCHASE SUBTOTAL 13.74
DISCOUNTS APPLIED 0.50
=================================
APPROVED PURCHASE TOTAL 13.24
BALANCE DUE — $0.00
BENEFITS EXPIRE ON 04-27-2020
***REMAINING WIC BENEFITS***
QTY UNITS DESCRIPTION
16.00 OZ WW BREAD OR GRAINS
36.00 OZ BREAKFAST CEREAL
3.00 GAL LOWFAT MILK (1% FAT)
32.00 OZ YOGURT
1.00 CTR PB OR DRY BEANS
128.00 OZ JUICE—ALL CATEGORIES
6.03 $$$ FRUITS & VEGGIES CVB
***CARDHOLDER COPY***
***PLEASE SAVE THIS RECEIPT***
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Protect Your WIC Card
• Keep your WIC Card in a safe place, such as your wallet.
• Do not bend your WIC Card.
• Keep your WIC Card away from cell phones, direct
sunlight, heat, magnets, TVs, and microwaves. These
can damage the magnetic stripe which contains
important information about your WIC benefits.
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Getting help with your
WIC Card and PIN
Call the toll-free number on the back of your WIC Card,
1-844-4MY-FAMILY or 1-844-469-3264, with questions or
problems. These include:
• To report your card lost, stolen, or damaged.
This number is available to help you 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. Keep this number somewhere
separate from your WIC Card.
• To unlock your WIC Card after 4 tries. Or, you can
wait until after midnight for the PIN to reset.
• To get your WIC Food Balance.
• To change your PIN.
Buying, selling or otherwise misusing WIC benefits is a crime. To report
suspected abuse, call 1-800-424-9121 or visit www.usda.gov/oig/hotline.htm
If this card is found, please return to:
P.O. Box 290, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0290
This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
Do Not Write PIN On Card
For WIC Food Balance go to:www.myfamily.wic.ca.gov
Customer Service:1-844-4MY-FAMILY
or 1-844-469-3264
62762c001
Call your WIC Office
• To answer specific questions about your WIC benefits
and the WIC Card.
• To replace your WIC card if it is lost, stolen, or damaged.
• To report WIC foods you think are authorized, but did
not go through at the store.
Toll-free WIC Card phone number for general
questions and to report problems:
1-844-4MY-FAMILY or 1-844-469-3264
California WIC Family Portal:
www.myfamily.wic.ca.gov
General WIC Information:
www.wicworks.ca.gov
Fraud or program abuse email:
WICabuse@cdph.ca.gov
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Free California WIC App
Contact Information and Resources
Local WIC office phone number:
on a appointment reminder card.
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Easy Cheesy Burritos
Makes 2
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
2 small whole wheat tortillas
¼ cup shredded cheese
½ cup prepared salsa
Ingredients:
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, stir together eggs, water, salt, and
pepper. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle each tortilla with ½ of the cheese.
3. In a pan, warm oil over medium-high heat. Pour in egg
mixture. Stir gently until cooked through and no liquid
egg remains.
4. Spoon eggs onto tortillas, dividing equally between the
two tortillas. Roll up like a burrito.
5. In a clean pan over medium-high heat, lightly brown
egg burritos to melt the cheese and toast tortillas.
6. Serve burritos with salsa.
Adapted from Health eKitchen on wichealth.org
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Notes
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the
USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions
participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited
from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex,
disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights
activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact
the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech
disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service
at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made
available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online
at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at
any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide
in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To
request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit
your completed form or letter to USDA by:
1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
California Department of Public Health, California WIC Program
1-800-852-5770 | https://www.wicworks.ca.gov #910361 Rev 11/19