WIC (Womens, Infants, and Children) Program

Supporting families. Strengthening communities.

The Cooper County Public Health Center WIC program offers lactation support to all breastfeeding moms regardless of WIC participation. Anyone can call (660)882-2626 and get help with breastfeeding.

What is WIC?
Am I eligible?
Qualified applicants:
- Pregnant women
- Women breastfeeding an infant up to the infant’s first birthday
- Postpartum women up to six (6) months after delivery or end of pregnancy
- Infants up to their 1st birthday
- Children until their 5th birthday
- A man with any of these participants in his family will benefit from the support, nutritious food, and nutrition education offered to his family. Men can and are encouraged to participate in nutrition education, family nutrition counseling, shopping for WIC approved food, and referrals to health care and other programs that may benefit their families.
Can I pre-screen to see if I am eligible?
Are there income limits?
What do I need to bring to my 1st appointment?
Proof of Identity:
Infants and children:
- Immunization record,
- birth certificate,
- hospital records (e.g., crib card, hospital band, discharge paperwork), or
- Family Support Division letter with identifying information
Adults:
- Photo ids such as driver's license, passport, employment ID card, school ID card, state ID card, military ID card, or naturalization record.
When a photo ID is unavailable, proof could be a card or letter verifying health care, social services, or a voter registration card.
Proof of Residency:
- Current utility bill or personal bill mailed to the residence within the last thirty (30) days
- Current rent or mortgage receipt
- Voter registration card
- Property tax receipt
- Pay stub that has a name and physical address and has been issued within the last thirty (30) days
- Mail received from a government agency other than WIC (e.g., jury summons, social services letter)
- A written statement from a reliable third party (e.g., employer, church, social service agency) with knowledge of the applicant's or participant's regular or nighttime location.
Proof of Income:
Must include the last 30 days of income.
- Current pay stubs (paper or electronic) noting the pay time frame (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)
- W-2 forms or income tax returns for the most recent calendar year
- A signed statement from the employer indicating gross earnings for a specified pay period
- Commissions, fees, and tip records
- Unemployment letter
- Notice Check stub
- Award letter from Social Security stating the current amount of earnings.
- Recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) for military personnel
- Recent bank statement
- Foster child placement letter or foster parent award letter
- Divorce decree, which states child support and alimony
- Scholarship letter
- Accounting records for the self-employed
If you are currently on MO HealthNet, Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), or receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), you might be eligible for benefits without current proof of income.
Nondiscrimination Statement/Aviso de No Discriminación

Cooper County Public Health Center promotes, supports, and protects breastfeeding as the perfect food for your baby, having all the essential nutrients and sufficient calories to meet your infant’s needs. Breastfeeding provides numerous benefits to mothers, infants, the environment, and the communities of Missouri. Accordingly, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six (6) months after birth, and the continuation of breastfeeding through the first year of life and beyond.

Making the decision to breastfeed
- When you breastfeed, you give your baby a healthy start that lasts a lifetime.
- Breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby.
- Breastfeeding saves lives, money, and time.
What health benefits does breastfeeding give my baby?
The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breastmilk help protect babies from illness. This unique protection changes daily to meet your baby’s growing needs.
Research shows that breastfed babies have lower risks of:
- Asthma
- Leukemia (during childhood)
- Obesity (during childhood)
- Ear infections
- Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Lower respiratory infections
- Necrotizing (NEK-roh-TEYE-zing) enterocolitis (en-TUR-oh-coh-LYT-iss), a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in premature babies, or babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Type 2 diabetes
What are the health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers?
Breastfeeding helps a mother's health and healing following childbirth.
Breastfeeding leads to a lower risk of these health problems in mothers:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Certain types of breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
Breast Pumps
Breast pumps are provided to postpartum mothers after our WIC specialists have completed an assessment to determine which breast pump is appropriate for them.
- Manual breast pumps are given to mothers who are occasionally separated from their infant.
- Multi-user hospital-grade pumps are loaned to mothers with premature or hospitalized infants, multiple infants, issues with low milk supply or temporary feeding problems, and mothers returning to work.
There may be a deposit charged that will be returned once the participant brings the pump back to us.