TEFAP Eligibility: Who Qualifies for USDA Foods
Short answer: a household qualifies for TEFAP food if it meets the income eligibility guidelines its State agency sets. There is no single national income limit. States set theirs as a percentage of the federal poverty guidelines, may also qualify people through other programs, and may not require ID, proof of address or a length of residency. Each State’s current rule, with its source, is on our TEFAP rules by State page.
What USDA says
USDA’s TEFAP fact sheet puts it in three sentences: recipients of food for home consumption must meet statewide income eligibility guidelines; State agencies set those guidelines, which may allow people to be income-eligible through participation in other food, health or social service programs whose eligibility is based on income; and recipients of prepared meals are presumed to have low income and are not means-tested.
Where the income limit comes from
Under 7 CFR 251.5(b)(2), a State that uses an income test must set a maximum somewhere from 185% to 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines that HHS publishes each year; a State may propose a higher threshold, subject to USDA approval. So the dollar figure depends on three things:
- Your State’s percentage (for example 185%, 200% or 300%; see each State on TEFAP rules by State).
- The current year’s HHS poverty guidelines, which are updated every year (Alaska and Hawaii have their own, higher figures).
- Household size. The limit rises with each additional person.
We deliberately do not print a national income table here: it would be wrong for most States. The figure to use is the one on your State agency’s or food bank’s current eligibility form.
Eligibility through other programs
Many States treat a household as eligible if it already takes part in an income-based program, such as SNAP, WIC, Medicaid or SSI. Which programs count, if any, is the State’s choice, and the declaration form lists them.
What cannot be required
7 CFR 251.5(b)(3): “Length of residency, address, or identification documents shall not be used as an eligibility criterion.” A State may require that the household lives in the area it serves, but the pantry asks and records; it does not demand a document. More in can a food pantry require ID?
Nor can receiving USDA Foods depend on attending a religious activity, volunteering or giving a donation.
How a pantry checks eligibility in practice
- Self-declaration. In most States the household states its size and income (or a qualifying program) on the State’s form; nobody checks pay stubs.
- A signature, at enrollment and in some States at every pickup, and a renewal at whatever interval the State sets (often yearly).
- The record. 7 CFR 251.10(a)(4) asks for the name of the household member receiving the food, the number of persons in the household and the basis for determining eligibility, kept for three years from the close of the federal fiscal year (what TEFAP records a pantry keeps).
- Proxies. Someone may usually pick up for an eligible household; States differ on the form a proxy needs.
Our free printable intake form includes a TEFAP self-declaration you can switch on, and the policies and procedures template has eligibility and ID policy text that follows these rules.
If a household is over the limit
TEFAP rules apply to USDA Foods, not to everything on your shelves. Many pantries serve households above the TEFAP limit with donated and purchased food under their own rules, keeping USDA Foods for eligible households. Your food bank’s agreement says whether and how you can do that.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for TEFAP?
Households that meet the income eligibility guidelines set by their State agency. Under 7 CFR 251.5(b)(2) a State’s income limit sits between 185% and 300% of the federal poverty guidelines (a higher figure needs USDA approval), and States may also count people as eligible because they take part in another income-based program. People receiving prepared meals, such as at a soup kitchen, are presumed to have low income and are not means-tested.
What is the income limit for TEFAP?
There is no single national figure. Each State sets its own, as a percentage of the federal poverty guidelines published by HHS each year, and the dollar amount depends on household size. Your food bank’s eligibility form shows your State’s current figures.
Do you need ID or proof of address to get TEFAP food?
No. 7 CFR 251.5(b)(3) says length of residency, address, or identification documents shall not be used as an eligibility criterion. The State may require that the household lives in the area it serves, but a pantry records the household’s answer rather than demanding a document.
How does a food pantry check TEFAP eligibility?
Usually by self-declaration: the household states its size and income, or that it takes part in a qualifying program, on the form your State agency or food bank provides, and the pantry records the name of the person receiving the food, the household size and the basis for eligibility. Some States require a signature and a periodic renewal.
Can someone who is not eligible for TEFAP still get food from a pantry?
Often, yes. TEFAP rules apply to USDA Foods. Many pantries also give out donated and purchased food under their own, more generous rules, as long as USDA Foods go only to eligible households.