Reach and Resiliency Grants under the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) are bringing about significant improvements in numerous communities throughout the US. Food Bank of Lincoln has effectively utilized its sub-grant from Nebraska’s TEFAP agency to identify underserved regions and develop strategies to enhance accessibility in these locales. In some instances, these strategies were as simple as augmenting the frequency of deliveries to certain communities to guarantee equal distribution of available TEFAP resources.

During the initial grant quarter, Food Bank of Lincoln implemented a 21% surge in deliveries to four underserved counties, resulting in a 55% escalation in TEFAP food distribution to those regions compared to the previous year. TEFAP is now serving over 4,000 households in Butler, Fillmore, Otoe, and York counties. In addition, the bank now operates 12 food access points in these counties and has engaged three more non-profit partners in TEFAP operations.

A partner pantry recently shared its perspective on food accessibility, citing the critical nature of increased food deliveries to their rural pantries due to rising food prices. The surge in food pantry clients, paired with the challenges of accessing fresh produce in rural areas, further underscores the importance of these deliveries. A simple head of lettuce now costs nearly $5 in rural grocery stores, which is cost prohibitive for most of local population.

The TEFAP Reach and Resiliency Grant has lent crucial support to the Food Bank of Lincoln by enabling them to distribute USDA TEFAP products more broadly to those in need. Moreover, the grant has also facilitated the expansion of data usage to pinpoint convenient delivery areas and to assure consistent access to USDA TEFAP products. This endeavor is making substantial progress in closing the inequality gap in the four targeted counties.

Further, states are urged to apply for the second round of TEFAP grant funding under TEFAP Reach and Resiliency 2023.