Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

NOTICE: For more information on Abbott Formula Recall, click here.

Program Updates:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the following WIC changes are in effect as of Monday, March 21, 2022:

We are currently providing all Mary’s Center WIC services at two locations: Petworth Health Center (3912 Georgia Avenue, NW) and Adams Morgan Health Center (2355 Ontario Road, NW). For the month of April 2022, Brookland appointments will be held at the Petworth location and Fort Totten appointments will be held at the Adams Morgan location.
Clients will be notified of the site opening and 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

*A fourth DC WIC site can be found at Adventure Dental located at 1060 Brentwood Road NE

Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm | Tel: (202) 269-0487

+ USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

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, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

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 responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 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 discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint 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.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.