TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries in Indiana

In Indiana, TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) is run by Indiana Dept of Health, WIC/TEFAP Division. This page sets out what a food pantry or other distribution site has to do: who qualifies, what each household declares, what you record at each visit, how long you keep it, how complaints are handled and what you report. Where Indiana's own documents disagree, that is said plainly rather than smoothed over.

Indiana's TEFAP agency and official documents

• Indiana Dept of Health, WIC/TEFAP Division — the State agency's food distribution page, which covers TEFAP (checked 2026-10-10).
• Indiana Department of Health: TEFAP income guidelines (checked 2026-10-10)

Your food bank's agreement and current forms are the final word on the figures and forms to use.

Who qualifies: the income limit

Household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines (official table: Income Guidelines Poster TEFAP 13 v22.3 (Apr 2026)). Households in these programs qualify without an income test:

• WIC
• SNAP
• NSLP

Computed as 185% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines. Your State's printed table is the official one and may round differently or take effect on a different date.

The eligibility declaration

Form: IDOH Eligibility Certificate (individual, aggregate or mobile). How often: annual with attestation each visit. Clients self-declare; proof of income is not required.

What to record at each visit

• name
• city
• county
• household_size
• income self-attestation

Client signature at every pickup: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents). Electronic signatures: Yes. Electronic intake: electronic solutions (e.g. PantrySoft, Food Bank Manager) subject to ERA and IDOH approval; systems collecting birthdates, SSNs or other members' names prohibited.

Proxies

Proxy Statement (Attachment A); permanent renewed annually, temporary note each time. The proxy must show ID.

What you must not collect

• ID cannot be required to receive TEFAP food.
• A street address should not be collected for TEFAP (ZIP, county or city is enough).
• Birth dates may not be collected.
• Other household members' names may not be collected - record their ages only.

How long to keep records

4 years — 3 years from FFY close + current FFY.

Civil rights

Complaints: no local forwarding deadline is published — forward promptly. Anyone may complain, in writing or verbally, without giving a name. Training: at start and annually.

Posted or handed out:

• And Justice for All
• income guidelines
• household breaks
• hours outside
• Beneficiary Rights (religious sites)

Reporting

monthly to ERA (food bank).

• households
• individuals

Storage temperatures

Refrigerated 36–40°F, frozen at or below 0°F, dry 50–70°F. Temperature log: at least weekly (daily best practice); set point does not count.

Also

• How often households must be able to come: no less than once per 30 days
• Only name/city/county/size/income may be collected beyond optional certificate fields; NO OTHER MEMBERS' NAMES OR BIRTHDATES (roster with names conflicts); no service-area limits.

Sources

• www.medialab.com/dv/dl.aspx?d=1330525&dh=da10e&u=95194&uh=670d6
• www.medialab.com/dv/dl.aspx?d=1624195&dh=b9d9b&u=95194&uh=670d6

TEFAP in nearby States

TEFAP in Illinois · TEFAP in Kentucky · TEFAP in Michigan · TEFAP in Ohio · all States

This page describes published State and food bank documents and is not legal advice. Your State agency and your food bank agreement are the final word. See also the federal TEFAP record rule and the free TEFAP readiness checklist.