The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

TEFAP is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. Under TEFAP, USDA makes commodity foods available to State Distributing Agencies. The amount of food each State receives out of the total amount of food provided is based on the number of unemployed persons and the number of people with incomes below the poverty level. States provide the food to the Food Banks within their State. TDA provides TEFAP USDA Foods to 5 Food Banks along with their affiliated agencies. They in turn distribute foods to needy households and to local organizations, such as soup kitchens and food pantries that directly serve the public. These local organizations distribute the TEFAP USDA Foods to eligible recipients for household consumption or use them to prepare and serve meals in a congregate setting. Recipients of food for home use must meet income eligibility criteria established by the state agency.

Under TEFAP, States receive administrative funds to support the storage and distribution of the USDA Foods. TDA passes most of these funds down to the local agencies.

• List of Food Banks and the Counties they serve
• Find Food in Your County
• Eligibility Criteria