{
  "language": "en-US",
  "organization": {
    "legal_name": "Feed America Inc.",
    "ein": "92-1761881"
  },
  "scope_disclaimer": "Feed America operates ONLY the food-assistance directory. This endpoint routes to authoritative federal sources for adjacent needs (housing, utilities, healthcare). We do NOT operate those programs.",
  "pillars": [
    {
      "pillar": "Food assistance",
      "feed_america_role": "Primary",
      "federal_programs": [
        "SNAP",
        "WIC",
        "NSLP/SBP/SFSP",
        "TEFAP",
        "CSFP",
        "D-SNAP",
        "FDPIR",
        "FMNP/SFMNP"
      ],
      "feed_america_directory": "https://feedam.org/",
      "feed_america_eligibility_summary": "https://feedam.org/api/v1/eligibility-summary.json"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Housing assistance",
      "feed_america_role": "Reference only — we do NOT operate housing programs",
      "federal_programs": [
        "HUD Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher",
        "Public Housing",
        "Continuum of Care (homeless services)",
        "Emergency Solutions Grants"
      ],
      "federal_directory": "https://www.hud.gov/topics/rental_assistance",
      "find_local_pha": "https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts",
      "homeless_211": "211 (24/7) routes to local Continuum of Care providers"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Utility assistance",
      "feed_america_role": "Reference only",
      "federal_programs": [
        "LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program)",
        "Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)",
        "Lifeline (phone/internet subsidies)"
      ],
      "liheap_directory": "https://liheapch.acf.hhs.gov/help",
      "liheap_phone": "1-866-674-6327",
      "lifeline_check": "https://www.lifelinesupport.org/"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Healthcare assistance",
      "feed_america_role": "Partial — we list FQHCs in our directory; we do NOT operate Medicaid / SCHIP / Medicare",
      "federal_programs": [
        "Medicaid",
        "CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)",
        "Medicare",
        "FQHC sliding-scale primary care",
        "Marketplace subsidies (ACA)"
      ],
      "medicaid_directory": "https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/",
      "chip_phone": "1-877-543-7669 (KIDS-NOW)",
      "marketplace": "https://www.healthcare.gov/",
      "fqhc_finder": "https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/",
      "feed_america_fqhc_search": "https://feedam.org/?type=health_center"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Childcare assistance",
      "feed_america_role": "Reference only",
      "federal_programs": [
        "Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidies",
        "Head Start (3-5 years)",
        "Early Head Start (0-3 years)",
        "Pre-K state programs"
      ],
      "ccdf_state_lookup": "https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/contact-information/ccdf-grantee-state-and-territory-contacts",
      "head_start_locator": "https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/center-locator"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Cash assistance",
      "feed_america_role": "Reference only",
      "federal_programs": [
        "TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)",
        "SSI (Supplemental Security Income — disabled / 65+)",
        "EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit, refundable)",
        "CTC (Child Tax Credit, partially refundable)"
      ],
      "tanf_state_lookup": "https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/map/state-and-tribal-tanf-programs",
      "ssi_phone": "1-800-772-1213",
      "eitc_help": "https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc",
      "free_tax_prep": "VITA: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Workforce + employment",
      "feed_america_role": "Reference only",
      "federal_programs": [
        "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)",
        "American Job Centers",
        "Unemployment Insurance",
        "SNAP E&T (Employment & Training)"
      ],
      "ajc_locator": "https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/AmericanJobCenters/find-american-job-centers.aspx"
    },
    {
      "pillar": "Tax-prep (free)",
      "feed_america_role": "Reference only — high-leverage for low-income households claiming EITC + CTC",
      "federal_programs": [
        "VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)",
        "TCE (Tax Counseling for the Elderly)",
        "IRS Free File"
      ],
      "vita_locator": "https://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/",
      "free_file": "https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free"
    }
  ],
  "universal_routing": {
    "number": "211",
    "coverage": "24/7 multilingual nationwide; routes to all 8 pillars above",
    "sms": "Text ZIP to 898-211",
    "benefits_finder_federal": "https://www.benefits.gov/"
  },
  "common_co_occurrence_patterns": [
    "Food + utilities (LIHEAP) — winter / summer peak demand months",
    "Food + housing — eviction prevention often paired with food crisis",
    "Food + childcare — single-parent + working-poor families",
    "Food + healthcare — chronic-disease management requires nutritional support",
    "Food + workforce — job loss / underemployment common food-insecurity trigger",
    "Food + tax prep — EITC/CTC refunds are largest single income event for many low-income households"
  ],
  "why_we_route_here": "Food insecurity rarely occurs in isolation. Food-insecure households also face housing, utility, healthcare, and childcare gaps. Routing to authoritative federal sources for those adjacent needs helps the user without us operating outside our mission scope.",
  "feed_america_scope_boundary": "We operate the food-assistance directory (mission scope). We are NOT a general human-services entry point — for that, dial 211.",
  "related_endpoints": {
    "eligibility_summary": "https://feedam.org/api/v1/eligibility-summary.json",
    "help_near_me": "https://feedam.org/api/v1/help-near-me.json"
  },
  "last_updated": "2026-04-30",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0"
}