Affiliation: TEFAP - Emergency Food Assistance Program available at Food Bank for Monterey County

notes: USDA buys the food, including processing and packaging, and ships it to the States. The amount received by each State depends on its low-income and unemployed population. State agencies work out details of administration and distribution. They select local organizations that either directly distribute to households or serve meals, or distribute to other local organizations that perform these functions. -> USDA buys the food, including processing and packaging, and ships it to the States. The amount received by each State depends on its low-income and unemployed population. State agencies work out details of administration and distribution. They select local organizations that either directly distribute to households or serve meals, or distribute to other local organizations that perform these functions. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) is the largest supplemental food program that the Food Bank operates. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food commodities are distributed at 38 sites via tailgate distribution throughout Monterey County on a monthly basis. EFAP also operates out of our Salinas warehouse facility Monday through Friday from 1-3 PM. An early evening site and a Saturday distribution site have been opened, providing an additional food assistance resource at a time more convenient for working poor families and individuals. On average, the Food Bank for Monterey County currently serves over 4000 households per month through this program. A typical USDA bag may contain peanut butter, canned tuna or canned meat, canned vegetables and fruits, cereal, dry milk, a pound of pasta, and a bag of rice. These commodities are supplemented with bread and produce. Food bags are packed at our warehouse entirely by volunteers. Volunteers also help at the distribution sites where they may serve as site captains or site assistants. Clearly, volunteers from the community are the lifeblood of EFAP.