Other Food Programs for Which You Can Apply

Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

WIC provides supplemental foods, nutrition education, and access to health services to improve the health of low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children up to 5 years old. Participants receive vouchers redeemable at retail food stores for specific foods that are rich sources of nutrients frequently lacking in the diet of low-income mothers and children. Contact: WIC at 1-800-242-4WIC or find your local WIC office online at http://www.fha.state.md.us/wic/html/find.cfm.

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program

The farmers market nutrition program was established in 1992 to provide WIC participants with increased access to fresh produce. WIC participants are given coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at authorized local farmers markets. Contact: Your local WIC office at 1-800-242-4WIC or find your local WIC office online at http://www.fha.state.md.us/wic/html/find.cfm.

The Maryland Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

Maryland seniors aged 60 and over, who are already enrolled in a qualifying means tested program, are eligible for yearly coupons good for $15 in fresh fruit and vegetables at farmers’ markets throughout the state.  Coupon books are available from your county Department of Aging.  Seniors can use the coupons, which come in $3 increments, at farmers’ market stands displaying the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Pilot Program poster.  For a listing of local farmers’ markets, visit the Maryland Department of Agriculture website, or call them at (410) 841-5770.

Nutrition Program for the Elderly

Provides cash and commodity foods to States for meals for senior citizens. The food is served in senior citizen centers or delivered by meals-on-wheels programs. Contact: Local Senior Center or your local Senior Information and Assistance office. You can find Senior Centers and Information and Assistance offices by phone at 1-800-AGE-DIAL. 

National School Lunch Program

The school lunch program provides cash reimbursement and food to help support non-profit food services in elementary and secondary schools, and in residential child care institutions. Every school day, more than 25 million children in 94,000 schools eat a lunch provided through the National School Lunch Program. More than half of these children receive the meal free or at a reduced price. The school lunch program is available in 99% of all public schools as well as many private schools. See: http://www.fns.usda.gov/

School Breakfast Program

As in the school lunch program, low-income children may qualify to receive school breakfast free or at a reduced price, and States are reimbursed according to the number of meals served in each category. See: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/schoolnutrition/school_lunch

Summer Food Service Program

Low-income children receive meals during school vacation periods through the summer food service program. These meals are served free, and the Federal government reimburses local sponsoring organizations for meals served. Contact: Local sponsoring agencies, usually school administrations or local governments. Try your local school system first.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

First initiated in 1981 as the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, TEFAP was designed to reduce inventories of surplus commodities through distribution to needy households. While some surplus food is still distributed through TEFAP, since 1989 Congress has appropriated funds to permit USDA to purchase additional commodities for households. Distribution to TEFAP foods is handled by various public and private local agencies. Contact: Local governments, welfare departments, and public and private food distribution organizations at http://www.dhr.state.md.us/srv_mefa.htm. You can also call the Department of Human Resources at 410-767-7015.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

This program provides cash reimbursements and commodity foods for meals served in child and adult day care centers, and family and group day care homes for children. Contact: Your day care provider. 

Special Milk Program

Children in schools, summer camps and child care institutions that have no Federally supported meal program receive milk through the Special Milk Program. See: http://marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/schoolnutrition/school_lunch.htm
 

Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN), updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Last legal review 4/22/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)