July 23, 2003
ATLANTA (GA)- It’s always hard to remember, in such of land of plenty as America, that many people still go hungry. And as the rate of unemployment and underemployment continues to rise, many families are finding it harder to provide good nutritious meals fort themselves and their children. The Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) is helping to solve this problem.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program administered by DFCS that supplements the diets of low-income people in Georgia. The state provides foods to local agencies free of charge, which in turn distributes it to needy households. These agencies include food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and community action agencies (CAA). This is the first year of the program for DFCS, which was previously administered by the Georgia Department of Education.
Participants must meet income requirements to be eligible for distribution through CAAs and food banks. Income verification is not required at soup kitchens. Available foods include fruits, vegetables, and meats. Most of the foods have the original manufacturer’s labels, so according to program spokesperson Gwen Cutter, “it’s like walking into a grocery store.” The availability of the foods is determined by the United States Department of Agriculture.
For more information about the program, contact the Atlanta office of TEFAP at 404-463-5134 or contact your county DFCS office.