Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

In order to participate in TEFAP you must

  • Be a Public Assistance household because all members of the household must receive (or are included in the grant for) one or more forms of public assistance. OR
  • Gross income of the household cannot exceed the maximum income limit for the applicant household size.

The charts below show Gross Income Eligibility Guidelines for TEFAP by household type. Effective April 1, 2022 — 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). The Emergency Food Assistance Program (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 by clicking on the interactive map in the “get help” tab.

For more information, please contact Camille at 573-471-1818 or cpeters@semofoodbank.org. To learn more about TEFAP please visit: www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program-tefap USDA

Household SizeGross Monthly Income Maximum
1$2,248
2$3,040
3$3,833
4$4,625
5$5,418
6$6,210
7$7,003
8$7,795

*To determine maximum income levels for households above size 8, add $793 for each additional member to the maximum monthly income for household size 8.