The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is issuing electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to WIC families in the Bismarck-Mandan area in a pilot program that will go statewide in October.

The cards will replace the paper checks normally sent to families.

“There are so many benefits of the card for families including less time to process the transacton at the store and the opportunity for familes to visit their local grocery store multiple times in a month,” said Kristi Miller, WIC Program EBT Project Manager at the North Dakota Department of Health.

The WIC EBT test will run locally during August and September and then expand to the rest of the state by October.

The WIC helps ensure mothers and young children have access to healthy foods, breastfeeding support, referrals to health and other services and accurate health information.

“If you are pregnant, have a new baby, or children under the age of 5 years, you might be eligible for WIC,” Miller said. “WIC is available to working and non-working families. Medicaid, TANF or SNAP participants are automatically income-eligible.”

Go to the North Dakota WIC website to find out more about WIC and how you may qualify.