Major Change in Louisiana WIC Benefits Effective August 1st

(KMDL-FM) Louisiana families have a lot on their plate this time of year, especially with back-to-school for so many kids just days away. But speaking of plates, if your family uses the Louisiana WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program to put food on the plates at your family table, then there is an important change you should be aware of.

The Louisiana Department of Health has revamped the way WIC benefits are distributed to Louisiana families that use them. The change in distribution and how to utilize those benefits becomes effective August 1, 2026.

a little girl with food all over her face

As of August 1st participants in Louisiana's WIC Program will be using a new Electronic Benefits Transfer card. The new card is part of a revamped and improved online system, which should make acquiring, using, and monitoring your WIC benefits not only easier for state administrators but for the families that use the card.

Probably the biggest single advantage of the migration to the updated system is the fact that participants will no longer need to have an in-person visit with WIC administrators to have their benefits assigned. Instead, with the new system, quarterly benefits can be reloaded on active cards remotely.

Louisiana's Old (Left) and New WIC EBT Cards

ldh.gov

The new system will allow for quicker reviews and upgrades of accounts, and should emergency benefits be needed, this will expedite the state's ability to put those benefits in the hands of families that need them the most.

READ MORE: Louisiana Parishes That Use the Most SNAP Benefits

You should have already been issued your new card. You will begin using the benefits assigned to that card as of Saturday, August 1, 2026. Your old card should only be used for one more day, today, July 31, 2026.

When Can Louisiana Residents Use The NEW WIC EBT Card?

yellow and red apples on black plastic crate

Don't forget you will need to set up your new card. That means you will need to create a Personal Identification Number or PIN. You can set or reset it, as the case may be, by calling the number that is printed on the back of your new benefits card. Make sure you've chose and assigned that PIN before you attempt to use the card.

READ MORE: Do You Need to Reapply For SNAP Benefits in Louisiana?

If you have questions, you'll find most of them answered at the Louisiana WIC website. You may also download the myWIC App. It's available wherever you download apps for your phone.