Skip to main content

TEFAP: How USDA Emergency Food Reaches Food Banks and Pantries

By FoodBankLocator Editorial Team · Published · Last reviewed

If you have ever picked up a box or bag of groceries at a food pantry, some of the food in it may have come from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, known as TEFAP. Most people never see the program's name, because it works behind the scenes. This guide explains what TEFAP is, how its food travels from USDA to a pantry shelf, who can receive it, and what to ask when you visit. All program facts are from USDA's TEFAP pages, linked in the Sources section.

What TEFAP is

USDA describes TEFAP as a federal program that helps supplement the diets of people with low income by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. USDA provides American-grown USDA Foods and administrative funds to states to operate the program.

TEFAP is not an application program in the way SNAP or WIC is. You do not apply to USDA and you do not get a card. Instead, local organizations hand out the food, and your state decides how.

How the food gets to a pantry

USDA's description of the path is short and worth repeating:

  1. USDA provides USDA Foods and administrative funds to states.
  2. States provide the food to the local agencies they have selected, which USDA says are usually food banks.
  3. Food banks distribute the food to soup kitchens and food pantries that serve the public directly.

That is why, when you read about the difference between a food bank and a pantry, TEFAP is part of the answer. A food bank is the warehouse level, and a pantry or soup kitchen is where you receive the food. Our guide on food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens explains the three terms in more detail.

TEFAP food is only one source for a pantry. Feeding America describes a food bank as a place that collects and stores food from donations and food drives, so the shelves at a pantry often hold a mix of donated and USDA food.

Two ways to get help

USDA says you may get food assistance from a local TEFAP organization in two ways:

  • Food to take home, from a place like a food pantry.
  • A meal eaten with a group, at a place like a soup kitchen.

Who is eligible

For food you take home, USDA says eligibility depends on your household income, and the income standard depends on the state you live in, because the state decides it. In some states you may qualify for TEFAP if you already take part in another federal, state or local food, health or welfare program that is based on income.

For meals served in a group setting, USDA says you do not have to meet an income level, because the organizations that serve those meals have already shown that they serve mostly people with low income.

USDA publishes a page called Income Eligibility Guidelines for 2026 for TEFAP. Because each state sets its own standard, the best way to learn what applies to you is to contact your state distributing agency, which USDA recommends for further assistance. To learn what a specific pantry asks for, call and ask. See the first pantry visit guide for questions worth asking.

What kind of food is included

USDA says the food is American-grown USDA Foods. Its TEFAP page links to a list of what is available, grouped into fruits, vegetables, legumes, proteins, dairy, grains and soups, along with product information sheets and recipes for using these foods. USDA also publishes best practices for safely handling and storing USDA Foods at home.

What you actually receive depends on your food bank and your pantry, and it changes from week to week. If you have an allergy or a dietary need, tell the volunteers when you arrive.

Other work USDA does through TEFAP

TEFAP also supports food banks as organizations. As of this guide's review date, USDA's TEFAP page lists, among its recent items, a Farm to Food Bank Project grant program and an announcement of $7.5 million in grant funding to expand cold chain capacity, which means refrigerated and frozen storage and transport.

How to find a TEFAP location near you

There is no single national TEFAP search tool, so start with the organizations that already work with it:

  • Your food bank. The Feeding America network lists food banks by ZIP code. Each food bank can tell you which pantries and meal programs it supplies.
  • Your state distributing agency. USDA names it as the contact for questions about the program in your state.
  • 2-1-1. Call 211 and ask for food pantries near you. The service is described in how to find a food pantry today.
  • This site. Our county pages show the regional food bank that serves your county, drawn from the Feeding America member list, and the state agency contact for SNAP.

Questions to ask your state agency or food bank

USDA points people to the state distributing agency for help, so these are reasonable questions to bring to that call or to your food bank:

  • What income standard does my state use for TEFAP food to take home?
  • If I already receive SNAP, Medicaid or another income-based benefit, does that qualify me?
  • Which pantries and meal sites near me receive TEFAP food, and what days are they open?
  • Is there anything I need to bring, or can I come without paperwork?
  • Do you offer other programs, such as senior boxes or help applying for SNAP?

You do not need to explain your situation in detail. Asking what a program requires is a normal question, and it is what the staff are there to answer.

What to do if you are turned away

Pantries have different hours, supplies and service areas. Feeding America notes that some pantries and programs may have additional requirements, such as living in a certain area. If one location cannot help you, ask them to refer you to another one, or call your food bank. Calling ahead saves a trip.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 18, 2026.