Food assistance guides
Feed America Inc. (EIN 92-1761881) publishes 10 free guides to navigating US food assistance — written in plain English, with state-by-state details where they matter. No login. No fees. No paid placements.
Need food right now? Skip the guides — call 211 for free, 24/7, multilingual help, or search by ZIP code on our homepage.
Eligibility & application · 8 min
How to Apply for SNAP
Plain-English, state-by-state walkthrough of the SNAP application — required documents, online portals, interview tips, and what to expect.
Federal nutrition programs · 6 min
WIC: Who qualifies + how to apply
Pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding women + children up to 5. Income limits, EBT card, what foods are covered, all 50 states.
School + summer meals · 5 min
Free Summer Meals for Kids (SFSP)
Where + when summer meal sites open during school break. No paperwork, no income test — every kid 18 and under eats free.
Senior food help · 7 min
Senior Nutrition Programs (60+)
CSFP commodity boxes, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, senior farmers market vouchers. Income + age requirements per program.
First visit · 6 min
What to Expect at a Food Pantry
Who qualifies, what to bring, how the room looks. Honest answers from 327,000+ verified pantries.
Same-day help · 4 min
Food Help in a Crisis — Today
Same-day options that open right now — no ID, no address, no phone required. Plus 24/7 hotlines and disaster resources.
Disaster food help · 5 min
D-SNAP: Disaster Food Assistance
Emergency food benefits when FEMA declares a disaster. Different from regular SNAP — broader eligibility, faster approval.
Specific groups · 7 min
Food Insecurity for College Students
On-campus pantries, SNAP rules for students, work-study + ETP exemptions, off-campus options. State-specific notes.
Specific groups · 6 min
Food Help for Immigrants
What you can use without status concerns: emergency pantries, school meals, WIC. Plus public-charge rule clarifications.
Specific groups · 6 min
Food Help When You're Unhoused
Soup kitchens, drop-in centers, mobile meal services. Address-not-required SNAP application paths.
Related
- All food-help hubs (by state, condition, situation)
- SNAP eligibility calculator
- D-SNAP / disaster food assistance
- About Feed America
- Donate to keep these guides free
- Guías en Español
All guides are CC BY 4.0 — feel free to share, translate, or republish with attribution to Feed America (feedam.org).