The Emergency Food Assistance Program

What is TEFAP and CSFP Government Assistance?

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) are two separate federally funded government assistance programs designed to help reduce food insecurity for low-income Americans, but they serve different populations and operate differently.

TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program):

Purpose: TEFAP helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including the elderly, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost.
How it Works: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) buys a variety of nutritious, high-quality USDA Foods and supplies them to state agencies. States distribute this food to local agencies, typically food banks and food pantries, which provide it to emergency distribution sites such as soup kitchens, food pantries, or directly to eligible households.
Eligibility: Eligibility is determined by each state but typically requires meeting income guidelines or participation in certain government benefit programs (such as SNAP, SSI, or TANF).
Access: Households can generally receive a TEFAP food package once a month by visiting a local food pantry or accessing meals at community sites.
Food Types: Foods provided are shelf-stable (canned or dried fruits/vegetables, beans, juices, nuts) and often supplemented with fresh produce, bread, grains, or meat.
Funding: The program is federally funded and reauthorized through the Farm Bill every five years.

https://matthewscrossing.org

CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program):

Governmental sources specifically describing CSFP, it is referenced briefly in state eligibility guidelines and is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service program.

Purpose: CSFP works to improve the health of low-income adults aged 60 and older by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods.
How it Works: Like TEFAP, USDA purchases food and distributes it through state agencies to local organizations, which provide monthly food packages to eligible seniors.
Eligibility: Generally, participants must be age 60 or older and meet income requirements, which are determined at the state level. Unlike TEFAP, CSFP is senior-specific.
Access: Eligible older adults receive a monthly package of USDA foods tailored to meet their nutritional needs.

Key Differences:

Program	Target Group	Distribution Method	Frequency	Main Focus
TEFAP	Low-income individuals/families	Food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, mass meals	As needed/monthly	Emergency food for all ages
CSFP	Low-income seniors (60+)	Monthly food packages directly to individuals	Monthly	Supplements nutrition for seniors

Summary:
TEFAP provides emergency food to low-income people of all ages, distributed through food pantries and meal programs. CSFP provides monthly, nutrition-focused food packages to low-income seniors to help maintain their health. Both are administered by USDA with state/local agency partnerships and are crucial parts of the U.S. food assistance safety net.

https://matthewscrossing.org

https://des.az.gov/emergency-food

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/factsheet

https://cdhs.colorado.gov/TEFAP

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program

https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-emergency-food-assistance-program-tefap-a-guide-for-older-adults/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emergency_Food_Assistance_Program

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