Dec 15th 2007, 09:37

Free Meals and Food Items for the Needy

In 2007, the Congress set aside $189.5 million for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). This money was spent to provide free emergency food and nutrition assistance to low-income Americans.

Canned and dried fruits, canned vegetables, fruit juice, dried egg mix, meat/poultry/fish, dried beans, pasta products, peanut butter, rice/grits/cereal, and more than 60 products were made available this year.

Homeless people, low-income senior citizens, and needy households benefit from TEFAP. Under this program, food is distributed to needy households and individuals in the form of food commodities to be consumed at home or as prepared meals served in certain locations.

If you qualify, you can get free meals served from soup kitchens or similar places without making any applications. However, you'll need to meet State income eligibility requirements to be able to take home commodity goods.

To apply, you may get in touch with your State Distribution Agency contact. You can use this page to look up a list of contacts in your state: www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/contacts/sdacontacts.htm.

To Do List: - Suggested Links:

1. Increase Your Income:
   Get an online degree with financial aid from the government.
2. ConsolidateYour Bills:
   Student Loans - Credit Card Debts - Refinance Home
3. Get some cash you don’t have to pay back:
   Government has money for almost any worthwhile need.
4. A MasterCard or Visa, even if your credit is not good
   A real line of credit