WIC vent! Ugh people are SO rude sometimes!

Bravo! :clap: :clap:

HA! I think that you are right, many people scam the system and I think there are some great ways to start some reform, both with WIC and AFDC. Start with drug testing! My husband has to drug test randomly to keep his job and I think any person on aid should have to drug test before they get the vouchers OR the money! I also think that every single person who is on any kind of aid in the US should be and be able to prove they are legal citizens of the US. JMHO.

Some of the comments you get MAY be founded - especially from cashiers. Im sure I've been behind a ton of WIC recipients, and for the most part *shrug* don't know if they are bios/foster/adoptive or other. I generally am not paying that much attention to how the person ahead of me pays, unless they are really slow and I'm in a hurry... However.... I was behind one family (99.9% sure they were not a foster family) who picked up the wrong kind of milk - until this particular day, I did not know that you could only purchase certain brands of milk through WIC (and sure enough, every trip back to the store, I know see signs that say "WIC friendly" or something to that effect). The father sauntered/strolled back to the back of the store to get the replacement milk. If my DD wasn't with me, I would have gone for him and been back in half the time. I was already behind to pick up my daughter and it was really frustrating. Once they had left, the cashier apologized profusely to me that she was sorry, that this couple came in all the time and always tried to buy non-allowed milk brands (and bread, apparently there are some rules with bread too) with their WIC. The cashier was VERY polite to them. Apoogetic that they had to replace the milk, and clearly sorry that she couldn't put their purchase on hold to get me through. If it had been a non-WIC purchase, she could have. I don't know their circumstances, and I"m not judging - but if there are rules, play by them,and be polite to the others in line. For all they, or the cashier, knew at that point *I* could have been a WIC customer too. Just sayin - the cashiers aren't the bad guys. Neither are you, or anyone who needs/uses WIC. But there are some WIC users who give the rest a bad name....

you go, Shycar!! I gave up on WIC for my 2 medically fragile 2 year olds. We had over 111 appointments in the last year for them...a WIC appt every month or so...so not worth it. Its a great program, but between annoying cashiers and people's snarky comments and the NASTY WIC office...yeh. just not worth it.

I've never had any bad experiences using WIC checks, but like a previous poster mentioned, I'm careful to get the exact right items and separate them as required. I ususally shop at Walmart or Food Lion and have had really wonderful cashiers each time. If other customers are snarking at me, I don't notice, I prefer to just go about my business and not look to see who's giving me the evil eye. I have however had multiple bad experiences using Medicaid and actually had to say something to a pair of witches with a b, at a dentist's office once.

I used to work in a grocery store, and I can agree with a pp who said it's a few people that give wic users a bad name. We had a few families who always tried to get the wrong things or too many things or the wrong amounts or flat out different things. One lady kept getting smaller items insisting that we could give her the difference in cash. (no, we could not!) She would always try to get in the line with the newest or youngest looking cashier and try stuff. It got so when we saw her come in a manager would always come over and ring her up. Several times she had young cashiers in tears yelling at them that they could do what she wanted if they weren't stupid. There were only a few of them, but they left such a bad taste that it go so that whenever you saw wic coupons you would hold your breath hoping it was not going to be one of those people. Plus the fact that they way they did it was just a flat out pain and took a lot of time. If we didn't fill out every line just right we got in trouble. We were constantly being told to get our "times" up. That meant that you had to scan so many items a minute. Wic stuff takes more time to do than other items, so slows you down. One store gave us bonuses if we kept our time up, so it costs us money if we got several wic customers in the same day. I was always polite, because I had several friends who had to use and one of my friends, I picked up her wic for her. (they allowed me to attend the appointments and also pick up her stuff, they even let me attend the classes for her, which I thought was silly) Anyway, that may be the reason why some cashiers give dirty looks, of course some are just plain rude people and some are just ignorant.

NO FAIR!! I have left the store crying because of those darn vouchers!! The cashier actually yelled accross 3 check out lines to the manager "I need someone to go get a WIC item! She got the wrong one!" The she turned to the next lady in line and said "You may want to change lines, this could take a while!"

I have been treated horribly by both cashiers and other customers for using wick checks. Let me tell you how confusing those coupons are. It took me some time before I got used to them. Several times I got the wrong items and was embarrassed by a loud cashier. I certainly hope that no one thought I was doing it on purpose. And since I'm a single mom, I had to backtrack with two small babies in my shopping cart. I always remember being made to feel like a low life and I hated it. No one deserves to be treated like that.

that's why i was so happy to have a wic store in california. it was right around the corner from the wic office and they ONLY sold wic items. it was awesome...they even carried out the stuff to my car! i felt like a queen in that place! sorry you had a bad experience. :(

ugh, that's why I choose one day to do my WIC shopping and I go to a specific store (low traffic...people wise) and seperate my food, it's too long to do it with other purchases.

In what area of Ca? I would LOVE to see if there is one anywhere near us...really with the way I've had to deal with the poopy-d-caca with WIC and other people I'd drive a good hour for that store! What county is it in or town if you dont mind sharing? Thanks!

Warning sass coming: amelie38 - to fit in at my WIC office you need to have fake fingernails, highlighted - impecble hair, a tattoo or two. I stand out like a sore thumb in my sensible shoes, dress pants and sweater - straight from work....no manicure, big hair, tattoo, bling, cell phone.... ok done with the sass.....almost shycar - I think we may be family. I was at the store after church with my FS (asian), AS (twin cc - blonde), Nephews (Hispanic) and FD (CC - Dark). The 2 ladies behind me started a conversation about WIC and having several baby daddies....I finished up my WIC order and was checking out my regular order - sent the bigger kids (14 + 15) to the car with the littles.... as soon as the kids were out of ear shot, I calmly stated. Yep they do all have different daddies......moms too. See some are adopted, some are relatives and a few are foster kids. I have taken the time and effort to bring them into my home, help the heal and hope to stop the cycle and help them become tax paying members of society. I assume you are coming from church - What are you doing to make a difference other than standing here in your Sunday best and passing judgement. Doesn't really help their stelf esteem. You can either complain about it or get off your pedistal and actually pitch in. I'm here most Sunday's - see I work 40 hours a week and Sundays while the other 3 are in Sunday school is the easiest time for me to grocery shop. If you every have questions and want to help I will gladly answer. If not, next time Choose a different line! I thanked the cashier for her time and my change and I walked out. I haven't gotten any questions, but I haven't had any snarky comments either. I had a hard time with the WIC looks at first, but when the twins needed $50 cans of formula....I quickly got over it.

I wish we would get the card too...I think it would be so much easier. I have a pretty nice house, but I just don't have the space to store 12 cans of formula at a time. And now Enfamil has re-designed their cans, they are about 1/2 an inch taller and I can't stack them in my cupboard!As for the WIC office...I've had no issues. Actually, I sometimes feel like they treat me better than some of the other parents coming through and that makes me feel really bad. The last time I had to go in, I was actually 10 minutes late for my apt, so I thought I'd have to wait for a while, they called me right back and when someone threw a fit they said "she's a foster parent, she'll be faster than you." It made me really uncomfortable.

I have WIC for three of our four FC. I happened to get in a line once where it was the cashier's first day. She looked to be about 18 or 19 years old and did her best to try and process the WIC vouchers on her own, but was definitely struggling. I waited very patiently while she worked, and tried to help her as best I could (BTDT A LOT with WIC, so I'm pretty familiar with the process) and finally told her it was okay to ask for help - which she did. She paged a manager, who wouldn't take the time to help her, and finally the cashier in the next lane came over and walked her through it - again, another young girl. Between the two of them they processed all of my WIC - again several checks for 3 kids - sure I had to wait, but I had the time and would rather wait and help someone learn to do their job then stand there and criticize because she didn't know what she was doing. It was her first day on the job and her very first WIC transaction. After I got home, I called the store and spoke to the store manager (not the one who didn't help her) and was sure to say how pleased I was with how she kept her composure and made an effort to process my WIC and asked for help when she needed it. Hopefully her manager passed along my compliments. So not all cashiers are bad, but I've had some terrible ones that have argued with me over what is allowable, and I have to fork over the pamphlet that clearly states I am getting all allowable items. And I know I get stares from other customers when I have WIC - I'm a young professional and drive a nice car, and I get a lot of rude stares/comments about using WIC.

So glad its not just me. There are days when I'd rather do anything than go buy WIC stuff.