Food Distribution

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

Eligibility

Based on 300 Percent Federal Poverty Income Guidelines

AND / OR

• Have a need for emergency food

AND / OR

• A household member currently participates in:
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
• Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Student with an approved free or reduced-price school meals application

Requirements

• Must live in the State of Michigan
• Program participants may only pick up at one location once a month
• Must meet program eligibility (see Eligibility) or have a need for food, and self-declare program required information (see Registration Process)

Registration Process

• Registration can be completed on the day of the distribution
• No documentation is needed, all information is self-declared
• The clients must provide name, verify Michigan residency, household size, verbally verify eligibility and self-declare that they meet the program requirements. No proof of information is needed.
• Please see our Distribution Locations & Information to find the closest site near you. Contact Kent County Community Action for more information and help.

Best Practices

Food packages can be 50 pounds or more in weight, to help make it easier to transport some recommended practices include:

• Pre-plan a mode of transportation
  • Motorized Vehicle (personal, friend, family, agency based, and/or other services)
  • Take the Bus
  • Other methods of travel (walk, wheel, cycle, etc.)
• Pre-plan a method to transport the food package
  • Bring a cart
  • Bring extra bags
  • Bring someone to help get the food home or other assistive equipment
  • If the client is not able to pick-up their food box they may have a designated proxy pick-up on their behalf
    • On the Day of Distribution, the client may designate a proxy by sending a signed note including the client's name, address, household size, reason of eligibility, and authorizing the proxy (by name) to pick-up the food.

Distribution Locations & Information

• 2025 TEFAP Apartment Distribution Sites
• 2025 TEFAP Open Distribution Sites
• 2025 TEFAP Pantry Distribution Sites

• Non-Discrimination Statement

  In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

  Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

  To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD- 3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online by clicking here, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  • Mail
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  • Fax
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  • Email
    program.intake@usda.gov
• Non-Discrimination Statement - Spanish

  De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), discapacidad, edad, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles.

  La información sobre el programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas que no sean el inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios alternos de comunicación para obtener la información del programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas americano (ASL), etc.) deben comunicarse con la agencia local o estatal responsable de administrar el programa o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comuníquese con el USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión al (800) 877-8339.

  Para presentar una queja por discriminación en el programa, el reclamante debe llenar un formulario AD-3027, formulario de queja por discriminación en el programa del USDA, el cual puede obtenerse en línea, de cualquier oficina de USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992, o escribiendo una carta dirigida a USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre del demandante, la dirección, el número de teléfono y una descripción escrita de la acción discriminatoria alegada con suficiente detalle para informar al Subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR) sobre la naturaleza y fecha de una presunta violación de derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completado o la carta debe presentarse a USDA por:

  1. Correo:
     U.S. Department of Agriculture
     Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
     1400 Independence Avenue, SW
     Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 o (202) 690-7442; or
  3. Correo Electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov

  
  

  Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.