Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

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Program Updates:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the following WIC changes are in effect:

We are currently providing all Mary’s Center WIC services at four locations:
- Petworth Health Center (3912 Georgia Avenue, NW)
- Adams Morgan Health Center (2355 Ontario Road, NW)
- Fort Totten (100 Gallatin Street, NE)
- Brentwood at Adventure Dental (1060 Brentwood Road, NE) – Thursdays only
Clients will be notified of the site for their upcoming appointment.
In-person services are offered (not required) to new mothers, infants, and pregnant women.
With the institution of the eWIC card, all clients must come in person for their scheduled appointments to sign for their card. Please note the benefits on your WIC checks are not transferable to the eWIC card.
Children who have been to WIC before will have their physical presence requirement waived for certifications.

For questions and to learn more about WIC, call (202) 232-6679.

Learn more about Mary’s Center’s response to COVID-19 here.

NEW: Transition from Checks to eWIC Cards

The WIC program is transitioning from food vouchers/checks to a refillable debit card, called an eWIC card.

Benefits of the eWIC card:

The cards can be reloaded virtually, so you will no longer have to come in to pick up checks or wait for checks to be mailed every three months.
You will not need to get all of your food items at one time like you have with the checks. You can go to the store as many times as you need to pick up individual items as long as you still have benefits left.

How to Get Your eWIC Card:

You have to use up the checks you have first; you cannot trade in your checks for the eWIC card.
Call Mary’s Center at 202-232-6679 two weeks before your last set of checks expire so we can make an appointment for you to pick up your eWIC card.
When you come to pick up the card, you must bring a photo ID and proof of address and income.

Refer a Friend to WIC

English Referral Form

Formulario de Referido en Español

About WIC

A balanced diet plays a big part in building a healthy body, but we know it can be hard to get the right kind of foods for you and your family. In addition to nutrition counseling, Mary’s Center is an official site for the federally-funded Women, Infants, and Children  (WIC) program. Mary’s Center connects you to the nutrition resources and services available in our community and puts healthy food at your family’s fingertips.

We encourage every eligible parent to apply for WIC benefits at Mary’s Center by calling (202) 232-6679 to make an in-person WIC application appointment. If you’re approved as a Mary’s Center WIC participant, you will receive an eWIC card to purchase foods found on the DC WIC Food List. The food list can be downloaded in English and Spanish.

As an approved Mary’s Center WIC participant, you will also have access to:

Breastfeeding Support

We can connect you with a breastfeeding peer counselor or a WIC breastfeeding consultant during the time the WIC Clinics are open. WIC participants with who may need additional support are referred to a WIC lactation consultant at no cost.

Online Breastfeeding Support: The Pacify app allows you to video-call with a doctor or nurse to ask questions about breastfeeding, infant feeding, and other infant or child health concerns. Video calls are free and can be done in English or Spanish.

Beautiful Beginnings Club (BBC): Supported by the DC Diaper Bank  and  First Shift Justice Project, the BBC provides new mothers and soon-to-be mothers breastfeeding support, education programs, and incentives. BBC meets at the Adams Morgan and Petworth health centers. Contact us for more information about meeting times.

Nutrition Counseling and Education

Our registered  dietitians  (RDs) are available to give nutrition counseling and education at no cost to you. RDs will help you create a healthy meal plan with the WIC food package and your budget in mind, helping you and your family eat foods that support your specific health needs.

Safe Sleep Classes

We offer free Safe Sleep classes in English, Spanish, and Amharic on the third Wednesday of every month, in partnership with DC Health. These classes provide pregnant mothers and other caregivers with cutting-edge practices to keep their infant safe while sleeping. All participants receive a safety-approved portable Cribette at no cost. To join the class, you must live in Washington, DC and be pregnant with a delivery date within 30 days of the class, or have an infant up to 12 months of age. WIC program participation is not a requirement. Call 202-232-6679 to join.

Contact us

Mary’s Center is ready to partner with you on your health journey. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us using the information below:

To learn more about WIC or make a WIC application appointment, call (202) 232-6679

+ USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.