Emergency food assistance program (EFAP)
Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP): A state-funded program that supports local emergency food providers with funding to help alleviate hunger. The funding is flexible and may be used for the purchase of food, operational costs, nutrition training and equipment or repairs.
South King County Food Coalition has served as one of three lead agencies for the King County allocation of EFAP funds. WSDA Food Assistance staff includes Kim Eads, Program Manager, keads@agr.wa.gov, and Mike Hatada, Food Assistance Specialist, michael.hatada@agr.wa.gov.
For the purposes of EFAP, please use the following definitions:
-Emergency food: Food that is given to clients who do not have the means to acquire that food themselves, so that they will not go hungry.
-Emergency Food Provider: A tribe or agency that provides clients with any kind of emergency food.
-Food Bank: An organization that collects, warehouses, and distributes food, edible commodities or other product to food pantries, meal programs, and other hunger relief organizations on a regional, county, or statewide basis. For EFAP, this means the food bank(s) that is selected by food pantries to serve in that role which provides this service to participating EFAP food pantries.
-Food Pantry: The term food pantry refers to an eligible emergency food assistance program subcontractor site which distributes unprepared food without charge to its clients. The organization must provide direct client services, food storage, and distribution with consistency.
Please consult the Emergency Food Assistance Programs (EFAP) Procedures Manual for Food Pantry Contractors and Subcontractors for more information about the program, allocation, qualification, and compliance. Reach out to Barb Houston-Shimizu for South King County specific inquiries.
Please fill out this questionnaire if you are:
1. Interested in becoming an EFAP Sub-Agency
2. Your organization operates in south King County
3. Your organization is eligible to become an EFAP Sub-Agency (if unsure, please email director@skcfc.org)