How the Hawaii Department of Health Runs WIC

WIC in Hawaii is a federal nutrition program delivered through the state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture pays for it, and the Hawaii State Department of Health administers it through its WIC Services Branch. The state sets clinic procedures, approves the foods families can buy, and authorizes the grocery stores that accept WIC benefits.

Families rarely deal with the state office directly. Instead, the Department of Health contracts with local agencies that run the clinics where you apply, meet a nutritionist, and receive your benefits. That explains why the offices in our listings carry such different names. Some belong to community health centers, including Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and Molokai Community Health Center. Others are run by family-support nonprofits such as Maui Family Support Services. Because the host agencies differ, details like appointment hours, walk-in policy and language help can vary from clinic to clinic.

WIC is not cash assistance, and it is separate from SNAP and Medicaid, which the Hawaii Department of Human Services handles. WIC provides specific supplemental foods, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and referrals to health care. Typical items include milk, eggs, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, infant cereal and, when needed, infant formula. Staff will explain how your benefits are issued and which stores accept them.

One quirk is worth knowing before you set out. Some listing titles do not match the street address. A Maui County entry titled with Lanai City sits at 735 Fraser Avenue in Wailuku, and a Kauai County entry with the same label is located at 4370 Kukui Grove Street in Lihue. When the name and address disagree, go by the address and call the number first.

Who Qualifies for WIC in Hawaii

WIC serves pregnant women, women for up to six months after pregnancy ends (longer if breastfeeding, until the baby turns one), infants, and children up to their fifth birthday. Fathers, grandparents and foster parents may apply for a child in their care. Four conditions apply to everyone:

There is no charge to apply or to receive services. Active-duty military families qualify under the same rules, and housing allowances are not counted as income. If you are unsure whether you qualify, call a clinic and ask. Staff would rather screen you than have you assume the answer is no.

Hawaii's high cost of living means that families with a full-time worker can still fall within the income limits, especially households with several children. Do not rule yourself out just because someone in the home has a job.

Oahu's WIC Clinics: Honolulu, Leeward, Central and Windward

Oahu is covered by Honolulu County, which holds most of the offices in our database. The clinics are spread around the island, so the best choice is usually the one closest to home or work rather than the one closest to downtown. Browse every Oahu clinic on our Honolulu County page.

In urban Honolulu you will find Honolulu Kalihi Palama Health Center WIC Office at 555 North King Street (808-841-0011) and Honolulu Kokua Kalihi Valley Health Center WIC Office at 2239 North School Street (808-791-9444). Both are in the Kalihi area, where community health centers serve a large immigrant population. Two more Honolulu clinics are Honolulu Nimitz WIC Office at 620 Main Street (808-421-4343) and Honolulu Kapiolani WIC Office at 1319 Punahou Street (808-983-8531).

West and central Oahu have their own sites. Pearl City WIC Office is at 860 4th Street (808-453-6511), Waipahu Leeward WIC Office is at 94-275 Mokuola Street (808-675-0365), and Wahiawa WIC Office is at 830 California Avenue (808-622-6458). Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center WIC Office, at 86-260 Farrington Highway (808-697-3301), serves the Leeward Coast, where Farrington Highway is the main road and drive times from town can stretch during peak traffic.

On the Windward side, Kaneohe Windward WIC Office is at 45-691 Keaahala Road (808-233-5470), and Waimanalo WIC Office is at 41-1347 Kalanianaole Highway (808-259-7940). A separate listing for Marine Corps Base Hawaii, at Piper's Pali, shares the 808-233-5470 number, so call that line to learn how base-area families are scheduled. Oahu's public bus system, TheBus, reaches most of these neighborhoods, but confirm routes and transfer times before you travel with a baby and a stroller.

Neighbor Island WIC Offices: Maui, Molokai, Hawaii Island and Kauai

Off Oahu there are fewer offices, and each one covers a lot of ground. Flying between islands for an appointment is rarely practical, so your clinic is the one on your own island.

Maui County includes Maui, Molokai and Lanai. In Wailuku, the central Maui town, we list Maui WIC Office at 781 Kolu Street (808-984-8225), Maui Community Clinic WIC Office at 1881 Nani Street (808-872-4034) and the Maui Family Support Services office at 735 Fraser Avenue (808-563-0029). Molokai families can use Molokai Community Health Center WIC Office at 30 Oki Place in Kaunakakai (808-660-2614). Our database has no Lanai-address listing, so Lanai residents should call a Maui office and ask how Lanai families are scheduled. Anyone displaced by the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire should tell staff and ask what substitute documents they can accept.

Hawaii County covers the whole Big Island, yet we list one office: Hawaii County Waiakea Kai Plaza WIC Office at 88 Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo (808-974-4270). Hilo is on the east side, roughly a two-hour drive from Kailua-Kona, so families in Kona, Kohala or Kau should call first and ask about the nearest site or options for remote visits.

On Kauai County, the listing is at Kukui Grove Executive Center II, 4370 Kukui Grove Street in Lihue (808-241-3080). Lihue is the county seat and a central hub, but north-shore and west-side families still face a long drive, so ask whether appointments can be done by phone.

Geography shapes the WIC experience more than any rule does. Metro Honolulu families can usually pick among several clinics and compare hours, while families on Molokai or the Big Island may have one realistic option. Either way, the steps are the same: confirm the address, ask what to bring, book the earliest appointment, and note your certification dates so you can renew before benefits lapse.

WIC offices throughout Hawaii are administered by the state health department through a network of local clinic agencies — including county health departments, hospitals, community health centers, and nonprofit organizations — that are authorized to certify participants and provide nutrition services. Hawaii's WIC program follows USDA federal guidelines while operating its own approved food list and vendor management system.

WIC Office locations are available in 11 cities across Hawaii. They are spread across 4 counties.

Cities with the highest number of WIC offices include Honolulu, Wailuku, Pearl City, which serve large populations of eligible families and often host multiple clinic sites to reduce travel barriers.

Pregnant women, new mothers, and families with young children in Hawaii who think they may be eligible for WIC are encouraged to apply even if they are unsure — income eligibility is based on household size and WIC serves families up to 185% of the federal poverty level. Applying does not affect other public benefit programs.

WIC Office by Counties

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Hawaii WIC participants can find their nearest authorized WIC vendor — the grocery stores and pharmacies where their EBT benefits can be used — through the state WIC program's vendor locator tool. If you move within Hawaii, contact your current WIC clinic to transfer your case to the new local agency without losing your current certification period.

Browse WIC Office by county across Hawaii to find the WIC clinic serving your area and get contact information for scheduling an eligibility appointment.

Preparing for Your First WIC Appointment in Hawaii

Many Hawaii WIC clinics work by appointment, so start with a phone call. Ask whether your first visit is in person, by phone or by video, how long it will take, and whether children may come along. Plan on about an hour for a first certification, and longer if several children are being enrolled at once.

Bring documents that show who you are, where you live and what your household earns. Photo identification, a lease or utility bill with your address, recent pay stubs or a benefit letter, and the child's birth certificate and immunization record are the usual items. Pregnant applicants should bring something from their provider confirming the pregnancy and due date. If you receive Medicaid or SNAP, bring the approval letter, since it can stand in for proof of income.

Infants and children are usually weighed and measured at the clinic, so the child generally needs to attend the first visit. After certification you meet a nutritionist to talk through feeding questions, set goals and choose a benefit package. Certification lasts for a set period, commonly between six months and a year depending on your category, and you must return for a recheck before it ends. Missing that date can pause your benefits.

If you move between islands, tell your clinic and ask about a transfer, because each local agency keeps its own schedule. Hawaii grocery prices run high, so check the approved food list before shopping and confirm that your store accepts WIC. When buying formula, choose only the brand and size listed on your benefits.

For county-level office lists, see Honolulu County, Maui County, Hawaii County or Kauai County. Verify phone numbers and hours before traveling, because clinic schedules can change.

Frequently Asked Questions About WIC in Hawaii

The Hawaii State Department of Health administers WIC through its WIC Services Branch, using federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Local clinics, many hosted by community health centers and nonprofits, deliver the services. There is no fee to apply, to attend nutrition counseling or to receive benefits. If anyone asks you to pay for enrollment, stop and call the Department of Health or a listed clinic directly. The program is also separate from SNAP and Medicaid, which are handled by the Department of Human Services, so you will need to apply for those on their own.

On the Leeward side, our listings include Pearl City WIC Office at 860 4th Street, Waipahu Leeward WIC Office at 94-275 Mokuola Street, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center WIC Office at 86-260 Farrington Highway. Central Oahu's Wahiawa WIC Office is at 830 California Avenue. On the Windward side, Kaneohe Windward WIC Office is at 45-691 Keaahala Road and Waimanalo WIC Office is at 41-1347 Kalanianaole Highway. Call ahead for hours, since each site has a different host agency, and ask about language help if English is not your first language.

Molokai has a listing: Kaunakakai Molokai Community Health Center WIC Office at 30 Oki Place, phone 808-660-2614. Our database does not show an office with a Lanai address, although two entries carry a Lanai City label in their titles. One is at 735 Fraser Avenue in Wailuku, and the other is at 4370 Kukui Grove Street in Lihue on Kauai. Lanai residents should call a Maui County clinic, such as Maui WIC Office at 808-984-8225, and ask how Lanai families are served, whether through visits, phone appointments or travel.

Our database lists one Hawaii Island office: Hawaii County Waiakea Kai Plaza WIC Office at 88 Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo, phone 808-974-4270. Hilo is on the east side, roughly two hours by road from Kailua-Kona, so call before you drive. Ask whether a closer site exists, whether any visits can be done by phone or video, and which documents must be shown in person. Check our Hawaii County page for updates, and confirm what your clinic requires before you travel.

Yes, military families living in Hawaii can qualify under the same rules as civilians, and housing allowances are not counted as income. Our database includes Kaneohe Marine Corporation Base Hawaii WIC Office at Piper's Pali, which shares its phone number, 808-233-5470, with Kaneohe Windward WIC Office. Call that number to ask where your appointment will take place and what to bring. Families stationed elsewhere on Oahu should ask whether they can use a more convenient Honolulu County clinic, and compare locations and hours before booking.

Not automatically, but it helps. Families receiving Medicaid, SNAP or TANF are generally treated as meeting the income requirement, so you may skip some income paperwork. You must still be pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, or have an infant or child under five, and you must complete the nutrition-risk assessment. If you receive none of those benefits, you can still qualify through income, which is capped at 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Hawaii's guideline table is higher than the mainland's, so the dollar limit here is higher. Ask a clinic for the current figure.