Michigan WIC program expanding to allow online grocery orders
Michigan families who get food assistance from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program can start using their grocery benefits for online orders at participating supermarkets.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said online shopping for WIC-approved groceries will be available at all 122 Meijer stores in Michigan, and clients can choose between curbside pickup and home delivery. They can also add other groceries paid through a different account to their online order.
"We are continuously looking for ways to improve the WIC shopping experience," Michigan WIC Director Christina Herring said. "Online shopping will allow our WIC families to more easily and quickly access healthy foods while juggling the demands of their everyday life."
Meijer is the first retailer to offer this option for WIC-approved groceries, but it won't be the only one. Michigan WIC officials plan to expand online shopping to other retailers in the future.
"WIC beneficiaries were already able to use their WIC cards for in-store shopping at Meijer and offering online shopping will make it even easier for families to buy healthy foods," said Amy Epkey, MDHHS acting director.
A 2023 WIC Modernization Grant provided funding to start this project.
WIC is a federally-funded program, run at the state level.
The program aims to provide nutritious foods and other support for pregnant, postpartum or nursing mothers, along with their children who are under the age of 5. Examples of food that families can select at their local retailers through WIC benefits include milk, eggs, peanut butter and fresh produce.
More than 190,000 Michigan women and young children receive groceries each month through the program. A family with three people in the household whose annual income is $50,542 or less qualify under the 2026-27 eligibility rules.
