WIC Text Reminders End in Mobile County; Appointment Alerts Move to the WIC Shopper App

MOBILE, Ala. — Families enrolled in WIC in Mobile County will no longer get text messages reminding them of upcoming appointments. Instead, those reminders have moved to the WIC Shopper mobile app, the Mobile County Health Department said.

Text message appointment reminders for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, have been turned off at the state level. The change affects participants served by the health department’s Office of Nutrition Services, which manages the local WIC program.

“WIC participants are no longer receiving text messages for appointment reminders,” said Ginger Stabler, WIC nutrition director at the Mobile County Health Department. “The WIC Shopper App now has a My Appointments tab which will show upcoming appointments and what to bring with you for your appointment. Please check the ‘Look What’s New’ banner located in the app for instructions on how to set reminders for upcoming appointment notifications.”

How to keep getting reminders

Participants who relied on texts to remember their WIC visits will need to take a few steps in the app to stay on schedule:

• Download the WIC Shopper app, or update it if it is already installed on your phone.
• Open the My Appointments tab to see upcoming appointments and a list of what to bring.
• Find the Look What’s New banner in the app and follow its instructions to turn on reminder notifications for future appointments.

Making sure notifications are allowed for the app in a phone’s settings can help ensure reminders actually appear. Families who miss appointments can risk delays in receiving benefits, so health officials are encouraging participants to set up the reminders now rather than waiting for the next visit.

What the WIC Shopper app does

WIC Shopper is an all-in-one mobile app for WIC participants and their families. Beyond appointment information, the app gives users access to:

• Real-time benefit balances
• Nutrition education
• Breastfeeding resources
• Recipes
• Other tools for using WIC benefits

Checking benefit balances in real time can help families plan grocery trips and make sure they use all of their monthly benefits before they expire.

Who is eligible for WIC

WIC is a federal nutrition program, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and run in Alabama through the state and local health departments. It is designed to support the health of mothers, babies and young children during critical periods of growth and development.

To be eligible, a person must be one of the following:

• A pregnant woman
• A breastfeeding woman
• A postpartum woman
• A child younger than 5

Applicants must also meet income guidelines, live in Alabama and be seen by a health professional at the WIC clinic, according to the health department. Infants and children are typically screened for nutrition-related needs as part of that visit.

How income eligibility works

Under federal rules, WIC income limits are set at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines, and the limits rise with household size. A pregnant woman is counted as two people when household size is figured, which can help some expectant families qualify.

People who already receive certain other benefits, such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), generally meet WIC’s income requirement automatically, though they must still meet the other eligibility rules. Working families can qualify too; having a job does not by itself rule a household out.

What foods WIC provides

WIC benefits cover specific healthy foods chosen to supply nutrients that are often lacking in the diets of pregnant women, new mothers and young children. According to the health department:

• Pregnant women and children ages 1 to 5 may receive yogurt, milk, eggs, cheese, juice, cereal, whole grains, beans or peanut butter, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Breastfeeding women may receive all of those foods plus canned tuna or salmon and extra milk, cheese and eggs.
• Infants may receive infant formula if they are not fully breastfed, along with infant cereal, fruits and vegetables after 6 months of age.

The extra foods for breastfeeding mothers reflect the program’s emphasis on supporting breastfeeding, which provides nutritional and health benefits for both mother and baby. WIC also offers breastfeeding education and support.

More than 10,000 participants a month

WIC serves a large share of young families in Mobile County. During fiscal year 2025, a monthly average of 10,413 participants received WIC food benefits through the Mobile County Health Department, according to the department.

With that many families relying on the program, the switch from text messages to app-based reminders could affect thousands of local households. Participants who do not have a smartphone, or who have trouble setting up notifications, can contact their WIC clinic for help keeping track of their appointments.

Getting started

Families who think they may qualify for WIC can contact the Mobile County Health Department’s Office of Nutrition Services to learn about applying. Current participants with questions about the WIC Shopper app, upcoming appointments or their benefits should reach out to their WIC clinic.