Data Sources and Methodology
FoodBankLocator.org is an independent directory. We are not a government agency, a food bank or a food bank network. This page explains where each piece of information on the site comes from, what the site does not know, how often the data is refreshed, and how to tell us about a mistake. Every dataset below is third-party data that we organize and display. We do not write our own descriptions of individual locations.
What the site is built from
1. USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (stores that accept SNAP)
The county and state pages list stores that are authorized to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The list comes from the export of the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator published by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. The file we use was downloaded on March 29, 2026, and our processed copy of it was built on October 18, 2026. After processing, the site shows 142,912 retailers. The processing step leaves out records that lack a store name, city, state or ZIP code, that fall outside the 50 states, that have invalid coordinates, that are a type of store the site does not list, or that cannot be placed in a county.
A SNAP retailer is a store where you pay with an EBT card. It is not a place that gives out free food. Stores open and close, so a store listed here may have closed, and a new store may not appear until our next rebuild.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator.
2. Feeding America member food banks (regional food banks)
Where the site names a regional food bank for a state or county, the information comes from the Feeding America member network list. We retrieved it on October 18, 2026 from the data behind Feeding America's Find Your Local Food Bank page. The file contains 198 member food banks, with their address, phone number, website and the counties each says it serves. Where a county has no food bank in that list, we show the state's food banks instead and do not guess a service area.
Feeding America must be credited wherever this data is shown, and we do so on the pages that use it. A regional food bank is a warehouse and distribution organization that supplies pantries and meal programs. It is not necessarily a place that opens its doors to walk-in visitors. See food bank vs. food pantry vs. soup kitchen. The list covers food banks in the Feeding America network only, so food banks outside the network are not included.
3. USDA SNAP eligibility tables
The income limits and maximum benefit amounts quoted on the site come from the tables USDA publishes each federal fiscal year on its SNAP eligibility page. USDA says the limits are updated annually. Our SNAP guide reproduces the table for October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, which we retrieved on October 18, 2026. Some state pages may still show an earlier year's figures, and the date shown beside any figure is the year it applies to. USDA's table applies to the 48 contiguous states and DC, and Alaska and Hawaii have different limits. Your state agency makes the actual eligibility decision.
4. USDA SNAP State Directory (state SNAP contacts)
The state program names, phone numbers, websites and application links in our state-by-state guide come from the USDA SNAP State Directory, retrieved on October 18, 2026. The USDA directory entries do not name an agency, so we show the program name USDA gives (for example CalFresh or FoodShare) and the state name. We do not add agency names that USDA does not provide.
5. Guides
The articles in the guides section summarize official pages from USDA, Feeding America, 211.org and other named organizations. Each guide lists its sources with links at the end, and shows the date it was last reviewed.
What this site does not know
We want to be direct about the limits of this data.
- Pantry hours and schedules. Neither the USDA retailer file nor the Feeding America member list tells us when a pantry is open. We do not publish hours. Call before you go.
- Which pantries a food bank supplies. We list the regional food bank, not the individual pantries or meal sites it works with. The food bank can tell you.
- Eligibility decisions. We show published limits for information. Your state or local agency decides whether you qualify.
- Current stock or availability. We have no information on what food a location has today.
- Individual pantry rules, such as ID requirements, service areas or visit limits.
- Whether a store still accepts SNAP today, beyond what the USDA export said when we downloaded it.
For these questions, the quickest route is a phone call. See how to find a food pantry today for 211, the Feeding America locator and a national hunger hotline.
How often the data is refreshed
The data is refreshed by hand. The site is rebuilt from files saved on our systems, and we update those files when we choose to re-download and rebuild, not on a fixed schedule. The date each dataset was retrieved is stated above so you can judge how current it is. A listing can be out of date between rebuilds. If you spot something that is wrong, please tell us.
Report an error
If a store, food bank, phone number, link or figure on this site is wrong, use the contact form. Please include the page address and what should change. We review reports and correct the page at the next rebuild. The contact form is not monitored around the clock; if you need food right now, call 211.
Editorial policy
- No paid listings. No one pays to appear on this site or to change how they are ranked or described. Listings come from the datasets above.
- Sources are cited. Guides name their official sources and link to them. Numbers, deadlines and eligibility rules come from those sources, and we leave out facts we cannot verify.
- Reviewed dates are shown. Each guide shows when it was last reviewed. We intend to re-check them after USDA's yearly update.
- Written by a team, not a person. Guides carry the byline "FoodBankLocator Editorial Team." They are summaries of public sources, not medical, legal or financial advice.
- Advertising. The site may show advertising. Ads do not change the content of a page and are not placed above the page heading.
- Not a government website. FoodBankLocator.org is not affiliated with USDA, Feeding America or any state agency.
Last reviewed: October 18, 2026.