DISTRIBUTION BEGINS
Since the 1930s, the USDA has been buying farm products to stabilize and support farm commodity prices. By 1981, huge amounts of surplus food were still in storage around the United States and the warehousing costs were enormous. This massive amount of surplus USDA foods, combined with a large increase in the demand for emergency food by agencies serving the underprivileged, led to the establishment of a program to lower the amount of government-held USDA Foods, reduce storage costs and help feed low-income households.
THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP) ENACTED
Congress passed The Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program Act in May 1983 (Public Law 98-8). Later that same year, Congress revised and extended the program through September 1985. TEFAP has been extended or reauthorized several times since through the Food Security Act of 1985, the Urgent Relief for the Homeless Act of 1987, and the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988. Far-reaching program changes took place in the 1990 Farm Bill (PL 101- 624). That legislation not only extended the program through FFY 1995 but also replaced the word 'Temporary' with the word 'The' in the title. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 built upon program growth and expansion by clarifying important regulations, broadening allowable uses of TEFAP administrative funds and reducing paperwork burdens. The current Farm Bill continues to authorize TEFAP and Federal Regulations governing TEFAP are found in 7 CFR, Parts 250 and 251.
PURPOSE OF TEFAP
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. USDA provides 100% American-grown USDA Foods and administrative funds to states to operate TEFAP.
PURPOSE OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY (TANF) FAMILIES
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) food purchase program was created by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act codified in 1996. TANF, in conjunction with TEFAP, provides an emergency response to hunger and increases food security for low-income households and individuals residing in Illinois. TANF funds are federal funds awarded to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Based upon the availability of TANF funding, food banks purchase nutritional USDA Foods in bulk for distribution to TEFAP contracted participating food pantries. Those pantries, in turn, distribute the USDA Foods to TANF-eligible households with pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children.
