The Emergency Food Assistance Program
The Texas Department of Agriculture supports local food banks and food pantries serving the public through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that plays a vital role in the lives of eligible Texans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. In Texas, the Texas Department of Agriculture supports food agencies like food banks and food pantries that directly serve nourishing food to neighbors in need.
What Is The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Through TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchases a variety of nutritious, high-quality USDA Foods, and makes those 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 in the state. States provide the food to local agencies that they have selected, usually food banks, which in turn distribute the food to local organizations, such as soup kitchens and food pantries that directly serve the public.
States also provide the food to other types of local organizations, such as community action agencies, which distribute the foods directly to low-income households. These local organizations distribute USDA Foods to eligible recipients for household consumption or use them to prepare and serve meals in a congregate setting. Under TEFAP, states also receive administrative funds to support the storage and distribution of USDA Foods.
These funds must, in part, be passed down to local agencies. TEFAP is administered at the federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the USDA.
How To Get Food
- Contact a food bank near you to find a site distributing TEFAP food. Use our Find Food Now tool or visit SquareMeals.org/TXFoodBanks to see other participating Texas Food Banks.
- Go to the recommended location during their hours of operation and ask to apply for TEFAP.
- Meet with a staff member to complete the TEFAP application process.
- For the application you will need to provide your name, address, phone number, current public assistance received, and total household income.
- Staff will also have information about other food programs you may qualify for.
- Food bank staff will provide further instructions for food pick up. TEFAP food is available on a first-come, first-served basis. TEFAP food may include additional food the food pantry purchases or receives through donations. Staff members and volunteers at the site will be available to answer questions and assist with loading food into vehicles if needed.
TEFAP food is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. TEFAP food may include additional food the food pantry purchases or received through donations. Staff members and volunteers at the site will be available to answer questions and assist with loading food into vehicles.
Your Right To Get Food
When you get food from a Food Bank partner, you are entitled to basic rights.
- You are entitled to receive food and/or meals at no cost.
- You are NOT required to participate in a religious event or pay dues as a condition of receiving food.
- You will NOT be refused service or discriminated against based on your race, color, age, religion, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.
- You will be treated with respect and dignity at all times.
- You are NOT required to show proof of income, identification, citizenship, driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate, or any other documentation.
Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
- Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
- Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
- Email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.