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By: Staff Reports

Albany, GA— The Southwest Health District will be rolling out a new electronic system for issuing food benefits through the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program on Monday, August 29, 2022.  Southwest Health District Nutrition Services Director, Teresa Graham, MPA, RD, LD, CLC states that she is thrilled to be a part of Wave 1 implementation in Georgia, which will offer many upgrades to the program.

Currently, WIC participants use paper vouchers to purchase approved foods.  The new system allows participants to use an eWIC card, which functions like a debit card, to purchase WIC-approved foods.

“Using a card rather than paper vouchers will make shopping much more convenient for our WIC participants,” said Graham. The electronic system will simplify benefit issuance and allow for quicker transactions at the store.

A phased approach will be used to distribute the new cards.  Participants should continue to use paper vouchers until they receive an eWIC card. “We’re excited about this technology upgrade but it’s going to take some time to shift from vouchers to cards,” said Graham. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and want to reassure our WIC participants that we are working diligently to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.”  It is expected to take approximately three months to complete the transition for all participants.

Georgia WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program that provides nutrition education, breastfeeding education and support, referrals, and nutritional supplements to thousands of income-eligible families throughout Georgia. Income-eligible families include pregnant women, breastfeeding women, postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five. Custodial/single fathers, legal guardians, and foster parents of an infant or child can also receive WIC benefits for the eligible infant or child.

For more information about WIC, including the eligibility requirements, and for eWIC resources, please visit our website at www.swhealthdistrict.org or the Georgia WIC website at www.dph.georgia.gov/WIC.