The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost.
The USDA provides 100% American-grown USDA Foods and administrative funds to states to operate TEFAP. The Department of Health and Welfare provides food to local agencies selected to distribute USDA foods to soup kitchens and food pantries that directly serve the public.
Through TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchases a variety of nutritious, high-quality USDA Foods, and makes those foods available to the Department of Health and Welfare. Through this program, income eligible individuals and families can visit food banks, food pantries, or soup kitchens to receive supplemental food boxes and meals.
