Regional Food Bank Grant (Minnesota)

Regional Food Bank Grant (Minnesota) is sponsored by Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families. This proposed grant would establish funding for Minnesota's six regional food banks and tribal communities to purchase, transport, and coordinate the distribution of food and personal hygiene products to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which supplements the diets …

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) | Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families Help safeguard tax dollars. Report suspicious activity . The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) The program distributes U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) foods to food shelves, on-site meal programs, and shelters for distribution in their communities.

Go to TEFAP forms and resources Find a food shelf or meal program near you The Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Office of Economic Opportunity (DCYF, OEO) contracts with Minnesota’s regional food banks to distribute TEFAP foods to more than 350 food shelves, Tribal food programs, on-site meal programs and shelters.

Food banks in Minnesota include: Together, the network provides nutritious, domestically produced food to Minnesotans in need, and provides direct support to the agriculture community. TEFAP uses county-level poverty and unemployment data to ensure an equitable distribution of TEFAP foods statewide. *For each additional family member, add $17,040 of allowable income.

Food shelves are available to anyone in Minnesota who self-reports that their household income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines . Minnesota receives approximately $3. 5 million annually to purchase USDA foods for TEFAP food providers.

USDA also awards Minnesota approximately $1 million in additional federal TEFAP funding that is granted to the regional food banks. These granted funds are used by the food banks to cover costs associated with storage, distribution, and administration of USDA foods and programs. A total of $14.

1 million pounds of USDA foods valued at $17. 6 million were distributed in 2025. Pounds of food distributed by the program Minnesota food shelf visits from 2016 - 2025 Food shelves have seen a continual rise in visits since 2021 after the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minnesotans made more than 9 million visits to food shelves in 2025, a record number for the fifth consecutive year. Types of food distributed TEFAP provides an essential source of nutritious food and consists of a variety of canned and dried foods, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products. In Minnesota, food is ordered based on feedback from TEFAP providers, food banks, and direct recipients of USDA products.

Minnesota is committed to using TEFAP funds to purchase healthy, fresh and nutritious foods that are priorities for communities, as identified by the Minnesota Food Shelf Survey .

TEFAP foods distributed in 2025 (in pounds) Read the 2025 Minnesota Food Shelf Visits Report Presented by The Food Group Forms and resources for TEFAP distribution sites Partners and providers can find information, eligibility forms in multiple languages and other supporting materials for TEFAP distribution sites.

Go to TEFAP forms and resources Minnesota Food Shelf Program TEFAP food shelves and Tribal Nations are also eligible for Minnesota Food Shelf Program (MFSP) funds from DCYF, OEO. Funds may be used to pay for food, supplies, personnel, and more to support program operation and administrative costs. Find out more about the Minnesota Food Shelf Program .

For Partners and Providers: Minnesota TEFAP Grant Managers Saint Paul, Minnesota 55164-0951 Find a food shelf near you