Federal Food Assistance Programs

Feeding America supports various federal food assistance programs that help people facing hunger in the United States. In addition to anti-hunger programs, Feeding America also works on federal tax policies that help get more food to food banks.

However, we realize it may seem a bit like alphabet soup with so many program acronyms. Let us help you decode it. Use our chart to learn how the food assistance programs differ and who they are each meant for. Then dig deeper into each program by following the linked acronym.

 

Acronym Full Name Brief Description Parents & Kids Healthy Eating Low-income Seniors Supplying Food Banks
SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Provides timely, targeted, and temporary benefits to low-income Americans to buy groceries.
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TEFAP

The Emergency Food Assistance Program Provides USDA commodities to families in need of short-term hunger relief through emergency food providers like food banks.
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CSFP The Commodity Supplemental Food Program Provides food assistance for low-income seniors with a monthly package of healthy USDA commodities.  
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CACFP The Child and Adult Care Food Program Provides nutritious meals and snacks to children and adults in designated child and adult care centers.
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NSLP The National School Lunch Program Provides nutritionally balanced lunch to qualified children each school day.
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SBP The School Breakfast Program Provides nutritionally balanced breakfast to qualified children each school day.
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SFSP The Summer Food Service Program Provides free meals and snacks to low-income children during the summer months.
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WIC Women, Infants, and Children Provides nutritious foods and nutrition education for low-income, at risk women, infants.
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US Capitol

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Hunger is a national crisis, though it is often hidden. Join the Campaign to End Hunger - our nationwide effort to end hunger in America. Through our combined voices, elected officials will listen

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