WIC for Grandparents Raising a Grandchild in California

If the grandchild you're raising is under five years old, WIC can help with food costs. California WIC staff must communicate eligibility decisions within 20 days for most applicants; call your local office for appointment timing.

What WIC Provides

WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) gives you:

• Monthly food vouchers loaded onto a WIC EBT card — covering milk, eggs, cheese, cereal, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and infant formula
• Nutrition education — basic guidance on feeding young children
• Healthcare referrals — connections to immunization clinics, Medi-Cal enrollment, and developmental screenings

The food vouchers are separate from CalFresh. You can receive both WIC and CalFresh simultaneously — they cover different items and come from different programs.

Who Qualifies

WIC eligibility includes these requirements:

1. The child is under 5 years old (infants and children up to their fifth birthday)
2. Household income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level — or the child is receiving Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, or CalFresh
3. The child lives in California and meets WIC's nutritional-risk criteria, which the local WIC office assesses

The second requirement catches many kinship care situations. If the child is receiving CalWORKs, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal, the child may qualify categorically for WIC without a separate income test; the residency and nutritional-risk requirements still apply.

You Don't Need Custody

Grandparents and other relative caregivers can apply for WIC on behalf of a child living in their care. You don't need legal guardianship, a court order, or a Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit to apply for WIC. You need:

• Proof of the child's identity (birth certificate, immunization record, or medical record)
• Proof of California residency (utility bill, mail, or rental agreement showing your address)
• Proof of income — or proof that the child is enrolled in Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, or CalFresh

If you don't have the child's birth certificate, a medical record or immunization card with the child's name and date of birth usually works.

How to Apply

1. Find your local WIC office — call 1-800-852-5770 or search online at myfamily.wic.ca.gov
2. Schedule an appointment — call the local office to ask whether it offers in-person, phone, or video appointments
3. Bring your documents — identity, residency, and income proof (or proof of Medi-Cal/CalWORKs/CalFresh enrollment)
4. Receive your WIC card — benefits are loaded onto an EBT card, usually at the first appointment

Children up to age four are generally certified for one year; certification ends at the end of the month a child turns five. Infants certified before six months of age may be certified until their first birthday; infants certified at six months or older are certified for six months. Check the child's WIC notice for the next certification date.

WIC and CalFresh Together

WIC and CalFresh serve different purposes and different food categories. WIC provides specific nutritious foods for young children (formula, milk, eggs, produce). CalFresh provides broader food purchasing power on a separate EBT card. Receiving one doesn't reduce the other.

For a grandparent raising a child under five, stacking both programs gives you the widest coverage: WIC for the staples specific to young children, CalFresh for everything else.

When WIC Ends

WIC benefits stop on the child's fifth birthday. At that point, CalFresh becomes the primary food assistance program. If you haven't already applied for CalFresh, do it before the child ages out of WIC so there's no gap in food support.

California's universal free school meals program also kicks in once the child enters kindergarten — free breakfast and lunch at all public K-12 schools, regardless of income.

The California kinship financial help guide maps out every food assistance program by the child's age, so you know which programs overlap and when to transition from one to the next.

See more California guides →