News 12 Staff

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Sep 19, 2023, 4:30 AM

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Updated

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Food banks and food programs help millions of people find food and groceries in their communities every day. 

If you’re looking to connect with your local food bank, and learn about free food distributions or apply for programs, below are some resources that can help:

FEDERAL PROGRAMS

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

• The Child and Adult Care Food Program provides nutritious meals and snacks to children and adults in designated child and adult care centers.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)

• The Commodity Supplemental Food Program provides food assistance for low-income seniors with a monthly package of healthy USDA commodities.

Emergency Food Assistance Program (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.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

• The National School Lunch Program Provides nutritionally balanced lunch to qualified children each school day.

School Breakfast Program (SBP)

• The School Breakfast Program provides nutritionally balanced breakfast to qualified children each school day.

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

• The Summer Food Service Program provides free meals and snacks to low-income children during the summer months.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides timely, targeted, and temporary benefits to low-income Americans to buy groceries.

USDA National Hunger Hotline

• Find free food near you by calling the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 866-3-HUNGRY (866-348-6479) or 877-8-HAMBRE. Or visit this website.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

• Women, Infants, and Children provides nutritious foods and nutrition education for low-income, at risk women, infants.

NATIONAL FOOD BANKS

Feed the Children

• Feed the Children is a nonprofit organization focused on alleviating childhood hunger.

Feeding America

• Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Their mission is to advance change in America by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all in partnership with food banks, policymakers, supporters, and the communities we serve.

Meals on Wheels America

• Meals on Wheels operates in virtually every community in America to address senior hunger and isolation.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Food Bank

• The mission of Connecticut Food Bank is to provide nutritious food to people in need. CLICK HERE for the mobile pantry schedule. And HERE to find a food pantry.

FoodPantries.org

• FoodPantries.org provides listings of pantries, food closets, food banks, soup kitchens, congregate meal locations, food boxes, vouchers.

FreeFood.org

• FreeFood.org has a list of several food pantries and food banks in Connecticut. CLICK HERE to find one near you.

NEW JERSEY

211 NJ Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens

• CLICK HERE for a list of food pantries and soup kitchens across New Jersey.

Community Food Bank of NJ

• The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) is the leading anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization in the state. CLICK HERE to find help.

The Food Bank of South Jersey

• The Food Bank of South Jersey provides food to people in need, delivers health and wellness programs, and designs sustainable solutions to help people. Get help HERE.

Fulfill Monmouth & Ocean Counties

• Fulfill provides a full suite of programs to provide the resources people need to become self-sufficient. CLICK HERE to get help.

MEND Food Network

• MEND is an interfaith network of 22 member food pantries located throughout Essex County. CLICK HERE to find a pantry.

NEW YORK

Community Action Southold Town

• CAST helps struggling community members meet their basic needs in the areas of nutrition, clothing, energy, employment, and education.

Feeding New York State

• The mission of Feeding New York State is to lead a unified effort for a hunger-free New York state. CLICK HERE to find a food pantry in your area.

Feeding Westchester

• Feeding Westchester helps bring good nutritious food to areas in Westchester County. CLICK HERE to find assistance near you.

Food Bank of the Hudson Valley

• The Food Bank of the Hudson Valley is dedicated to alleviating hunger, while preventing the waste of wholesome food. Find the nearest food pantry HERE.

Island Harvest

• Island Harvest's mission is to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island. CLICK HERE to find a food pantry.

Long Island Cares

• Long Island Cares is dedicated to serving Long Island's hungry and food insecure populations. Find food pantries HERE.

New York State Department of Health

• To find the regional food bank that distributes food to your local county Emergency Food Relief Organizations (EFRO), click on your region as noted from the MAP HERE.

Salvation Army

• Salvation Army food pantries provide groceries for families and individuals in need. Food is free, but some locations require appointments. CLICK HERE to find a location.

NEW YORK CITY

City Harvest

• City Harvest is New York City’s largest food rescue organization, helping to feed the more than 1.5 million New Yorkers who are struggling to put meals on their tables. THIS MAP shows locations currently distributing food. 

Food Bank for New York City

• Food Bank For New York City is a nonprofit social services organization and a hunger-relief organization working against hunger in the five boroughs. CLICK HERE to find food pantries near you, and a schedule for mobile pantries and popup distributions.

FoodPantries.org

• FoodPantries.org provides listings of pantries, food closets, food banks, soup kitchens, congregate meal locations, food boxes, vouchers.

Get Food NYC

• USE THIS MAP to find locations that offer free food (food pantries and soup kitchens), as well as grocery stores and farmers' markets.

Health Information Tool for Empowerment

• The Health Information Tool for Empowerment (HITE) is an online directory offering information on more than 6,000 health and social services available to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals in New York City, Long Island and Westchester. CLICK HERE for places where you can find food assistance in NYC.