Browse All Topics

Programs that coordinate requests for emergency food assistance by screening individuals who apply using criteria established by the food pantries or other providers, maintaining lists of individuals who have been aided, and checking new applicants against the lists before referring them to a resource that can meet their needs. Emergency food clearinghouses help to avoid duplication of service and maximize the availability of food resources while relieving the agencies of the task of handling requests directly. Also included are programs that refer people needing food to an appropriate resource, but which are not the sole source for this information.