How Wisconsin Organizes WIC Through DHS and Local Agencies

Wisconsin families looking for a WIC clinic will find one in almost every county, from the dense neighborhoods of Milwaukee to the lake country around Hayward and Crandon. WIC, short for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, is paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Wisconsin, the Department of Health Services (DHS), through its Division of Public Health, runs the program and sets the rules that local clinics follow.

DHS does not staff most clinics itself. It contracts with local agencies, which is why the names on our listings vary so much. Some offices are county health departments, such as the Forest County Health Department WIC Office at 200 East Madison Street in Crandon. Others sit inside human services departments, such as the Sawyer County Health And Human Services WIC Office at 10610 Main Street in Hayward. A few are run by community clinics, regional nonprofits or tribal health programs.

The common thread is the service itself. Every clinic offers nutrition screening, individual counseling, breastfeeding support, referrals to other health and social services, and a monthly benefit that pays for specific foods. The program is free to participants. You never pay a fee for an appointment or for the benefits loaded on your card.

Because each local agency sets its own schedule, two offices in the same part of the state can run very differently. One may hold clinic every weekday. Another may open only certain days each week and rotate staff among several sites. Call before you go, and ask whether you need an appointment.

Who Qualifies for WIC in Wisconsin

WIC serves a defined group of people. You must live in Wisconsin, meet an income test, and have a nutrition risk that a health professional confirms at your appointment. The risk screening is routine, and most applicants who meet the other rules pass it.

The program covers these groups:

Household income must be at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, and the limit rises with household size. Families who already receive BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare are generally treated as meeting the income test, so bring proof of those benefits if you have it. Fathers, grandparents, foster parents and other guardians can apply for a child who qualifies.

Working families often qualify more easily than they expect. The income ceiling is higher than many people assume, and a household with two jobs can still fall under the line when the children are young. If you are unsure, let the clinic staff do the math. Checking costs nothing, and a quick call can save you a wasted trip.

Milwaukee's Clinic Network Compared With Rural and Northern Wisconsin

Where you live changes what WIC looks like in practice. Milwaukee County has the largest concentration of offices in the state. The Keenan Health Center WIC Office at 3200 North 36th Street (414-286-8813) serves the north side of Milwaukee, and the Cudahy Health Department WIC Office at 5050 South Lake Drive (414-769-2229) serves the southern lakeshore suburbs. In a metro area you can usually compare several sites, pick the one on your bus line, and find evening or interpreter-supported appointments more easily.

Mid-sized cities fall somewhere in between. In Brown County, the Green Bay Broadway North East Wisconsin Community Clinic WIC Office at 610 South Broadway (920-431-0243) operates in a community clinic setting, which can make it easy to line up WIC with other health visits. In Outagamie County, the Outagamie County Department Of Health And Human Services WIC Office at 410 South Walnut Street in Appleton (920-832-5109) is run by the county itself.

Rural counties usually have a single main site. The Buffalo County Department Of Health And Human Services WIC Office at 407 South 2nd Street in Alma (608-685-6350) and the Florence County Health Department WIC Office at 501 Lake Avenue in Florence (715-528-4837) are examples. The Vilas County office, the Vilas County Public Health Department WIC Office at 302 West Pine Street in Eagle River (715-479-3656), covers a large area of lakes and forest where drives can be long.

Distance and weather matter in the north. A winter storm can close county roads, so confirm that the clinic is open before you leave. The Sawyer County office lists a toll-free number, 800-569-4162, which helps families calling from outlying towns. Forest County has several listings, so check which site holds clinic on the day you want.

Tribal WIC Clinics in Wisconsin

Wisconsin's tribal nations and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council run a notable share of the state's WIC sites. These offices are often located inside tribal health centers, which lets families combine WIC with other health care in one stop.

Examples from our listings include the Webster Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council St Croix Tribal Center WIC Office at 4404 State Road 70 (715-349-8554) in Burnett County, and the Black River Ho-Chunk Nation Health Care Center WIC Office at N6520 Lumberjack Guy Road in Black River Falls (715-284-9851) in Jackson County. In Sauk County, the Baraboo Ho Chunk House of Wellness Center WIC Office is on White Eagle Road (608-355-1240). In Shawano County, the Bowler Stockbridge-Munsee Wellness Center WIC Office is on County Highway A (715-793-5012). Up on Lake Superior, the Bayfield Red Cliff Community Health WIC Office is on Aiken Road (715-779-3707).

The federal eligibility rules are the same at every WIC clinic. If a tribal site is closest to your home, call and ask whether it can enroll your household. If it cannot, the staff can point you to the nearest county office.

What to Expect at Your First Wisconsin WIC Appointment

The first visit, called certification, usually takes about an hour. Bring photo identification, something showing your Wisconsin address, and proof of income or of your BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare enrollment. Pregnant applicants may be asked for a note or document confirming the pregnancy. Bring immunization records for children, because staff review them and can refer you for any missing shots.

Infants and children generally need to attend so staff can measure length or height and weight. A small finger-stick checks iron levels. A nutritionist then talks through feeding questions, such as starting solid foods, picky toddlers, or breastfeeding problems, and sets up a food package that fits your family.

Benefits are loaded on a card that you use at approved grocery stores, much like a debit card. Wisconsin's package includes staples such as milk, cheese, eggs, whole grains, beans and peanut butter, plus a monthly amount for fruits and vegetables and formula for infants who need it. Shelf labels in participating stores help you spot eligible items. You return to the clinic periodically for follow-up visits and recertification, so keep your appointment dates handy.

WIC offices throughout Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin's WIC program follows USDA federal guidelines while operating its own approved food list and vendor management system.

WIC Office locations are available in 73 cities across Wisconsin. They are spread across 62 counties.

Cities with the highest number of WIC offices include Milwaukee, Crandon, Webster, 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 Wisconsin 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

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
I
J
K
L
M
O
P
R
S
T
V
W

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin to find the WIC clinic serving your area and get contact information for scheduling an eligibility appointment.

Getting Practical About WIC Visits Around Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a big state for a single program, and the best clinic for your family depends on geography. In the southern tier, the Rock County WIC Office at 46 Eclipse Boulevard in Beloit (608-362-1566) serves Rock County, while the Walworth County Human Services WIC Office at W4051 County Road NN in Elkhorn (262-741-3146) covers the next county east. In western Wisconsin, the Eau Claire City-county Health Department WIC Office at 720 2nd Avenue (715-839-5051) and the Chippewa County Department Of Public Health WIC Office at 711 North Bridge Street in Chippewa Falls (715-726-7903) sit close together.

East-central families can look at the Fond Du Lac County Health Department WIC Office at 160 South Macy Street (920-929-3104) and the Calumet County Health Department WIC Office at 206 Court Street in Chilton (920-849-1432). Families near Oshkosh and Neenah can also check Winnebago County. In the northwest, the Barron County Department Of Health And Human Services WIC Office at 335 East Monroe Avenue (715-537-5691) and the Polk County Health Department WIC Office on County Road I in Balsam Lake (715-485-8520) are two more examples.

Before you drive anywhere, phone the office. Ask about hours, whether walk-ins are accepted, and whether a remote or phone appointment is possible for follow-up visits. Hours differ by county, and smaller offices sometimes close for training days. Asking costs a few minutes and can save a long trip.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, through its Division of Public Health, administers WIC with federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Local agencies such as county health departments, human services departments, community clinics and tribal health programs run the actual clinics. WIC is free to participants. There is no charge for appointments, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding help or the food benefits on your card. If anyone asks you to pay for enrollment, treat that as a red flag and contact the clinic directly or DHS.

Start with your county. Northern counties usually have one main site, such as the Sawyer County Health And Human Services WIC Office in Hayward, the Vilas County Public Health Department WIC Office in Eagle River, or the Ashland Bay Area WIC Office at 216 3rd Street West in Ashland (715-682-6661). Browse our Sawyer County and Vilas County pages, then call to confirm clinic days. Some rural offices hold clinic only on certain days, and winter weather can change plans.

Bring a photo ID, proof of your Wisconsin address such as a utility bill or lease, and proof of income, for example recent pay stubs. If you receive BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare, bring that card or letter instead, since it can count toward income eligibility. Pregnant applicants may need proof of pregnancy. Bring each child's immunization record and take the children with you, because staff measure them and check iron levels. Calling ahead lets the clinic tell you if anything else is needed.

Yes. WIC is not limited to families without work. The income limit is 185 percent of the federal poverty level, and it increases with the number of people in your household. Many working families, including those with part-time or seasonal income, fall under that line. Families already enrolled in BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare are generally treated as income-eligible. Staff will also confirm a nutrition risk during your visit. If you are close to the limit, ask the clinic to review your numbers rather than assuming you are over.

Yes. Milwaukee has the most listings of any Wisconsin city in our database, and Milwaukee County has more than any other county. Examples include the Keenan Health Center WIC Office at 3200 North 36th Street (414-286-8813) and, just outside the city, the Cudahy Health Department WIC Office at 5050 South Lake Drive (414-769-2229). Compare locations on our Milwaukee County page and choose the one closest to your home, workplace or bus route. Call to confirm hours and appointment rules.

You do not need to start over. WIC participants who move can transfer to the clinic serving their new address, and the new office can usually continue your certification instead of repeating the whole process. Tell your current clinic about the move, then contact the office in your new county, for example the Rock County WIC Office in Beloit or the Eau Claire City-county Health Department WIC Office. Bring your card and any paperwork you were given. Ask the new staff how soon you can be seen so your benefits continue without a gap.