During an emergency situation one of the concerns many people have is obtaining food. As the hours pass, we humans are going to become hungry. Without being able to have access to food during these periods it can become difficult to continue on, as it may impact our thinking, energy, and stress levels. The good news is that there is food assistance for those with emergencies.
Some of the most common types of emergencies that impact people’s ability to obtain food include hurricanes, tornadoes, house fires, power outages, etc. When a hurricane sweeps through a community, for example, it can become difficult for people to obtain food. The power often goes out for days or even weeks, people lose the food that was in their refrigerator and freezer, and they may not have the funds to go out and get more.
It is during emergency situations that people especially need to know where to turn to get help with obtaining food. Whether it is a free hot meal, bags of food to take home for free, or money to re-stock your refrigerator, there are programs and assistance you can turn to. By reaching out to the programs below you should be able to get the help you need to ensure you get food assistance for your family.
Programs Offering Food Assistance
Some of these programs will provide food assistance when there is not an emergency situation, but others are really focused on helping during and after emergencies. Reach out to any of the programs you feel can help meet your need for food assistance during this difficult time. It’s important to have the food needs of you and your family met, including during times of emergencies.
American Red Cross – For many years, this organization has helped people who have endured emergency situations. They will step in and provide shelter, food, pet supplies, and more. They try to provide the help that is needed following an emergency, especially those related to disasters. To get more information about the organization and contact them for help, click here.
United States Department of Agriculture – This agency that is part of the federal government will provide emergency food assistance. They have food stored in every state and they are ready to provide people in impacted areas with immediate food assistance. They will also help with providing infant formula. They will help those who are in all states and territories. To get more information about their programs and contact them for assistance, click here.
Catholic Charities – This is a faith-based organization that helps people around the country. They will provide free food assistance all year, including during emergencies. To get more information, contact the locations in your area. To find locations near you, click here.
Salvation Army – This organization helps many people each year. They have locations around the country. They offer free hot meals to the public, as well as free bags of food that people can take home. Whether you are looking for a place to get a free hot meal or you want to get some food to take home and prepare, they can help you out. Contact the locations in your area to find out when and where they are handing the food supplies out. To find a location near you, click here.
Food Pantries – There are food pantries around the country. They are places that maintain having a lot of food on hand that is given out to those in need in the community. Contact the food pantries in your area to see how you can go about obtaining some free food. Some will have you go to them, while others may deliver it to your door if you don’t have transportation. To find a food pantry in your area, click here.
Churches – There are churches all around the country. They are great resources for getting the help you need, especially during emergency situations. They usually try to help the people in their community and one of the ways is to provide food assistance. Many of them will offer what they call “food drops,” where they will announce a date and time that they will be giving away boxes of food to people. Many churches also maintain pantries, where you can stop by and get a free bag or box of food. Some will provide you with a bag that is pre-gathered, while others allow you to shop around the pantry, selecting the items you need and want, similar to going to a grocery store. Others offer events where you can pull up and they will put the box of food in your vehicle and you can drive off. Contact the churches in your area to see if they can help with providing emergency food assistance.
D-SNAP – This is part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides those who have a low income with free food each month. The D part of this program stands for Disaster. They will provide people who have been in a disaster situation with emergency help obtaining food. If you are in a disaster area you may qualify for getting D-SNAP if you have had a loss of income due to a disaster, have had costly repairs due to a disaster, have had to evacuate or relocate and have incurred expenses, or you have experienced personal injury from a disaster. Those who are approved will receive immediate funds to use on purchasing food. To get more information and apply for D-SNAP, click here.
World Central Kitchen – This is an organization that sets up where there are disasters and emergencies and they provide people with free meals. They will also deliver things like water and fresh food to areas that have been hit by hurricanes. When they set up in disaster areas and places that have been hit by emergency situations, they provide the people in need in the area with free food. To get more information about the organization, click here.
