Orchard Origins

​​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.

TEFAP aids in delivering nutritious foods from farmers to food banks to communities every day. USDA data shows that 1 in 3 people who live in households at risk of hunger earn too much money to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other federal nutrition programs. Many of these people turn to food banks for support. Programs like TEFAP are vital for food banks to help these families. As of late summer 2021, the California Walnut Commission (CWC) is pleased that the USDA has added walnut pieces into the product listing for upcoming TEFAP solicitations. This will help provide relief to both industry members and those in need of high-quality, nutritious foods such as walnut pieces.

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.

For more information on TEFAP, please visit: The Emergency Food Assistance Program | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)

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