State successfully transitions to new eWIC cards

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The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control has completed a statewide rollout of new electronic benefit transfer cards.

Offered through the S.C. Women, Infants and Children program, the new eWIC card allows program participants to redeem their monthly food benefits at stores in an easy-to-use method, according to a news release from DHEC.

WIC is a federally funded supplemental nutrition program serving low- and moderate-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women. The program also serves infants, and children through age five who are at nutritional risk. It is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by DHEC.

The transition to eWIC was mandated by the USDA, which required all WIC state agencies to implement the electronic benefit transfer systems by 2020. Since the start of the year, more than 43,000 eWIC cards have been issued in the state, 25,000 participants have downloaded the mobile app and 635 vendors have been authorized, DHEC said.

“The goal of the new cards is better serve families and improve the shopping experience at the point of sale,” Berry Kelly, S.C. State WIC director Berry Kelly, said in the release. “EWIC shoppers can expect a more pleasant shopping experience with the freedom to buy nutritious food items when needed, and our stores can expect faster payment and fewer checkout errors.”

The WIC program in S.C. serves approximately 72,000 participants.