South Carolina WIC for Grandparents Raising a Grandchild

WIC Doesn't Require Custody or a Court Order

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is administered by the South Carolina Department of Public Health. It provides food packages — formula, milk, eggs, cereal, fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, and whole grains — for children under age 5, pregnant women, and postpartum mothers.

A grandparent or relative caregiver can apply for WIC on behalf of a grandchild regardless of legal custody status. You don't need a guardianship order, a power of attorney, or SCDSS involvement. You need to show that the child lives with you and that the child meets the income and nutrition requirements.

Who Qualifies

WIC has two paths to eligibility:

Adjunctive eligibility (automatic): If the child already receives Medicaid (Partners for Healthy Children) or SNAP, the child is automatically income-eligible for WIC. No separate income screening needed. Since most children in kinship care qualify for Medicaid up to 213% FPL — and the caregiver's income is excluded from that calculation when the child isn't claimed as a tax dependent — this is the path most kinship families use.

Income eligibility: If the child doesn't receive Medicaid or SNAP, ask the local WIC clinic for the current income limits and what household members it will count.

The child must also be assessed as being at nutritional risk, which the WIC clinic determines at the appointment. Ask the clinic what records or information to bring for that assessment.

What to Bring to the WIC Appointment

• Proof of identity for the child — ask the clinic which documents it accepts
• Proof of South Carolina residency — utility bill, lease, or a piece of mail showing your address
• Proof of income — or proof of Medicaid/SNAP enrollment for adjunctive eligibility (a benefits award letter, EBT card, or Medicaid card)
• Proof of relationship — not always required, but bringing a birth certificate that shows the link (parent's birth certificate connecting you to the child) avoids delays

Ask the clinic whether it needs the child's Social Security number or card, and bring it if available.

How WIC Works Day to Day

Once approved, the WIC office loads benefits onto an eWIC card (similar to an EBT card). Each month you get a food package tailored to the child's age. You shop at WIC-authorized stores — most major grocery chains in South Carolina participate — and buy the specific items listed in your package.

The WIC clinic will give you follow-up and recertification dates. Child eligibility ends when the child turns 5.

How WIC Fits with Other Kinship Benefits

WIC stacks on top of other programs without reducing them:

• SNAP: WIC benefits don't count as income for SNAP. You can receive both. SNAP covers a broader range of food; WIC covers specific nutritional items.
• TANF Child-Only: WIC doesn't affect your child-only cash grant.
• Medicaid: Medicaid enrollment helps you qualify for WIC through adjunctive eligibility, and WIC doesn't affect Medicaid.
• School meals: Children receiving SNAP or TANF are directly certified for free school breakfast and lunch. WIC itself doesn't trigger direct certification for school meals, but many WIC families also receive SNAP.

One gap to know about: South Carolina is not participating in the federal Summer EBT / SUN Bucks program for 2026. During school breaks, kinship families can contact SC 211 (dial 2-1-1) for local food resources.

Finding Your Local WIC Clinic

South Carolina WIC operates through county health departments. Contact your county health department to find the nearest clinic. SC Thrive (scthrive.org, phone (800) 726-8774) can help with general benefits screening and application assistance.

If you're raising a grandchild in South Carolina and want to make sure you're accessing every program available — WIC, TANF child-only, SNAP, Medicaid, and more — our complete guide maps out each benefit, the application steps, and exactly what documents to bring.

See more South Carolina guides →