Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
In order to participate in TEFAP you must:
- be a Public Assistance household with all members of the household receiving (or included in the grant for) one or more forms of public assistance
OR
- be a household whose gross income does not exceed the maximum income limit for the applicant household size
The charts below show TEFAP Gross Income Eligibility Guidelines by household type effective as of April 1, 2026 — 185% of Federal Poverty Guidelines
One in six households in Southeast Missouri is food insecure. To respond to this need, Southeast Missouri Food Bank provides The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). TEFAP provides USDA-donated foods to needy households, including low-income/unemployed persons for home consumption and to organizations serving the homeless and other non-profit organizations providing meals in a congregate setting to needy persons. TEFAP prevents struggling households from having to choose between food and other basic needs. TEFAP serves approximately 22,000 low income Southeast Missourians each month. If interested in participating, please select the TEFAP food pantry located in the county you live in. TEFAP food pantries can be found using our Pantry Locator, with a "USDA Distribution" designation.
For more information, please contact Robin at 1.855.703.3663 or rstrop@semofoodbank.org. To learn more about TEFAP please visit USDA's The Emergency Food Assistance Program website here.
| Household Size | Gross Monthly Income Maximum |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,461 |
| 2 | $3,337 |
| 3 | $4,212 |
| 4 | $5,088 |
| 5 | $5,964 |
| 6 | $6,839 |
| 7 | $7,715 |
| 8 | $8,591 |
*To determine maximum income levels for households above size 8, add $876 for each additional member to the maximum monthly income for household size 8.
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 at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, 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
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.