{"id":"emergency-food-assistance-program","name":"The Emergency Food Assistance Program","provider":"USDA Food and Nutrition Service","entitlement_type":"government-benefit","entitlement_type_label":"Government benefit","entitlement_type_context":{"definition":"A government-funded or administered benefit, service, coverage program, assistance program, or public access route.","domain":"public-benefits","archetype":"direct-program","agent_instruction":"Identify the administering jurisdiction and disclose income, household, age, disability, immigration, residence, renewal, fee, and capacity rules that apply."},"summary":"USDA supplies food to states, food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, and other local organizations for distribution to people with low income.","benefit":{"description":"Emergency groceries or prepared meals at no cost through participating local organizations.","estimated_value_usd":null},"discovery":{"focus":"public-service","has_estimated_dollar_value":false},"access":{"relationships":["Person meeting local emergency-food rules","Guest at a participating prepared-meal site"],"requirements":"Household-food eligibility standards are set by the state and local distributor. Prepared meals can use different access rules, and available food depends on local inventory.","activation":"Contact the state distributing agency, 211, or a participating local food bank or pantry and ask about TEFAP distribution times and documentation.","cost_basis":"no-cost","cost_basis_label":"No-cost access","cost_basis_context":{"classification":"free","definition":"The core benefit has no required payment, purchase, deposit, paid membership, or pre-existing paid-product relationship under the captured terms.","agent_instruction":"Still disclose optional add-ons, transportation, parking, replacement charges, taxes, capacity, and eligibility conditions found in fees or requirements.","variation_patterns":null,"does_not_mean":null},"fees":"TEFAP food is provided at no cost. Transportation, site hours, and available items vary.","personalized":false,"regions":["US","Local distributor availability"],"expires":null},"status":"verified","last_checked":"2026-08-04","claim_url":"https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program","source_url":"https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program","source":{"primary_url":"https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program","evidence":[{"source":"USDA Food and Nutrition Service","url":"https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program","kind":"provider","checked_at":"2026-08-04"}]},"parent":null,"coverage":{"level":"national","family":"food-and-nutrition","jurisdiction":"United States","maturity":"direct"},"web_url":"/benefits/emergency-food-assistance-program","taxonomy":{"version":"1.0","url":"/api/v1/taxonomy"}}