The WIC Program (Women, Infants and Children) provides access to healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to health care and other community resources. You can trust WIC to be your family's nutrition expert during critical periods of growth and development, like pregnancy, infancy and early childhood.
How do I join WIC?
“We have always had a good balanced diet, but having access to these foods helps our budget greatly and allows us to continue to provide healthy balanced meals.” - Vermont WIC Participant
Local WIC Highlights
The Rutland Office of Local Health is the place to come for WIC if you live in:
Benson, Brandon, Castleton, Chittenden, Clarendon, Danby, Fair Haven, Goshen, Hubbardton, Ira, Killington (Sherburne), Mendon, Middletown Springs, Mount Holly, Mount Tabor, Pawlet, Pittsfield, Pittsford, Poultney, Proctor, Rutland City, Rutland Town, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Tinmouth, Wallingford, Wells, West Haven and West Rutland.
Is your home in another town? Find out which office is for you.
We offer WIC appointments in our Rutland office as well as in three other communities to serve our families closer to where they live. Please call our office to find an appointment in a location that's most convenient for you: 802-786-5811.
Brandon Senior Center
1591 Forestdale Road
Brandon, VT 05733
Castleton University, Hoff Hall
338 South Main Street
Castleton, VT 05735
Revive Church
152 Beaman Street
Poultney, VT 05764
Among the opportunities available throughout the year are:
- Baby Shower– Every May, the Rutland Local Health Office hosts a baby shower for WIC. Join the WIC peer counselors, other moms and moms-to-be for prizes, snacks, breastfeeding support and fun!
- Secrets of Baby Behavior and Cues – These classes are offered every month to help you learn how to recognize hunger cues, sleep patterns, reasons for crying, and solutions to common concerns.
- Farm to Family – Every June and July, the Farm to Family Program gives WIC participants coupons for free, locally grown, fresh vegetables and fruits from farmers’ markets. See the complete list of markets authorized to accept coupons in 2019.
- Growing Gardens – Every spring, once it’s time to get our gardens growing, join us to plant seeds and learn how to grow your very own garden. It’s something you will be able to enjoy all summer long!
Sign up to get tips, tools and online lessons, in English and Spanish
Check out our Facebook page for current activities, or look up your county on the Health Department Events Calendar.
Learn more about eating well with WIC
There are many ways WIC can help you succeed with breastfeeding, including:
- Extra WIC foods for breastfeeding parents
- Breastfeeding peer counselors (available in some offices)
- Referrals to community lactation consultants and other support services
- Breast pumps
- Breastfeeding groups and classes
breastfeeding goals.
We have a breastfeeding peer counselor available. The peer counselor can provide one-on-one breastfeeding support if you are pregnant or nursing a newborn. This support can help make sure feeding your baby goes well for both you and your baby.
There are Rutland County employers that are breastfeeding friendly
. If you’re an employer who supports breastfeeding in the workplace and want to be added to this list, fill out our application to be recognized by the State of Vermont for your excellence. Need assistance to become breastfeeding-friendly? No problem! Give us a call at 802-786-5811 option 2 and we can help.
For more details, see the WIC breastfeeding section of this page or call us at 802-289-0600
Choose from these foods shown in the WIC Shopping Guide.
At a farmers market you can buy just-picked fruits and vegetables and find something new to try. The market can also be a great learning experience for your kids! The Vermont Farm to Family Program offers coupons for free, locally grown vegetables and fruits to eligible WIC participants. See a list of participating farmers markets.
We pride ourselves in making sure families are connected with the resources in our community to help meet and maintain their goals. We connect WIC participants with a variety of resources related to food, child care, health care, drug and alcohol programs and housing.
Learn more about how we can help with referrals
- Health Insurance
- Affordable Housing
- 3SquaresVT
- Childcare / Preschool
Some community partners that we make referrals to include:
- Physician Offices, Dental Offices, & Mental Health Offices
- Strong Families Vermont
- Children’s Integrated Services
- 802QUITS
- Rutland County Head Start
- Rutland County Parent-Child Center