Food Pantry Haul- January 2025

I'm not 100% sure is this church is a part of the TEFAP program. I wanted to add some information about the TEFAP program just in case.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of people with low-income by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. FNS, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), administers TEFAP at the federal level; and all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam administer the program at the state level.
Through TEFAP, USDA purchases a variety of nutritious, high-quality USDA Foods, and makes those foods available to state distributing agencies. The amount of food each state agency receives is based on the number of unemployed persons and the number of people living below the poverty level in the state/territory. State agencies provide the food to local agencies that they have selected, usually food banks, which distribute the food to local organizations that directly serve the public, such as soup kitchens and food pantries. State agencies also provide the food to other types of local organizations, such as community action agencies, which distribute the foods directly to individuals. These local organizations distribute USDA Foods to eligible recipients for household consumption or use them to prepare and serve meals.
Program Operation
Public or private nonprofit organizations that provide nutrition assistance to people with low-income, by providing prepared meals or food for use at home, may be eligible to distribute USDA Foods through TEFAP. These organizations are known as eligible recipient agencies (ERAs), and TEFAP state agencies are in charge of selecting the ERAs that they will work with in their state or territory. All ERAs must meet minimum requirements outlined in program regulations; for example, those that provide prepared meals must demonstrate that they predominately serve people with low-income.
The types of foods USDA purchases for TEFAP vary depending on the preferences of state agencies and on agricultural market conditions. More than 130 nutritious, high-quality products are available. Products include canned, frozen, dried, juiced, and fresh fruits and vegetables; protein items such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans; whole and enriched grains such as rice, flour, cereals, pasta, and tortillas; and dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese. For a complete list of foods available through TEFAP, refer to the USDA Foods Available List for TEFAP.
Program History
TEFAP was first authorized in 1981 to distribute foods purchased by USDA to support agriculture markets. The program was initially designed to help reduce federal food surpluses while assisting low-income persons. Because food surpluses had largely been depleted by 1988, Congress passed the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, authorizing funds to be appropriated for the purchase of USDA Foods specifically for TEFAP. Foods acquired with appropriated funds are in addition to any ‘bonus’ foods purchased by USDA to support agriculture markets. The program was officially named The Emergency Food Assistance Program under the 1990 Farm Bill.