Faith-based and community-based organizations 
Infants

Faith-based and community-based organizations (FBOs/CBOs) may apply to participate in Federal nutrition programs and provide benefits directly to individuals, or may serve as informational resources by referring these individuals to other organizations and agencies that participate in the programs. 

FBOs/CBOs that provide services to children may be eligible to participate in the following Federal nutrition programs:
 

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

WIC serves low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5, who are at nutrition risk. WIC provides participants with 1) checks or vouchers to purchase specific nutritious foods at authorized food stores; 2) nutrition counseling; and, 3) health care referrals. To be eligible to become a WIC local agency and provide WIC services to participants, an organization must be a government agency, private nonprofit organization or Federally-recognized Indian Tribal Organization that provides health care services either directly or through contract, or refer participants to other organizations for health care. However, in selecting local agencies, State agencies must give first priority to those agencies that provide health care services either directly or through contract. Also, WIC local agencies must employ nutritionists, dieticians or other health personnel authorized by the WIC State agency to determine nutrition risk of participants and provide nutrition education. 

FBOs/CBOs apply to the responsible State agency for each State in which they wish to participate.
 

WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) 

FMNP  provides WIC participants with 1) coupons or checks to purchase unprepared, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables from authorized farmers and/or farmers’ markets; and, 2) nutrition education. To be eligible to become a FMNP local agency, an organization must be a government agency or a nonprofit entity. Since FMNP recipients are WIC participants, usually WIC local agencies are also FMNP local agencies. 

FBOs/CBOs apply to the responsible State agency for each State in which they wish to participate.
 

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Through the CACFP, nutritious meals and snacks are served to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. CACFP also provides meals to children who reside in homeless shelters, and snacks to youths who participate in afterschool care programs. 

Eligible nonprofit FBOs/CBOs may include emergency shelters, day care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, settlement houses, Head Start programs, and institutions providing day care services to children with disabilities. Private for-profit centers may also participate if they receive compensation under Title XX for at least 25 percent of the enrolled children or 25 percent of their licensed capacity, whichever is less. 

FBOs/CBOs apply to the responsible State agency for each state in which they wish to participate. 
 

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

TEFAP helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost through food pantries and soup kitchens. Under TEFAP, the USDA makes food commodities available to the States, which receive the food and supervise overall distribution of the food commodities to eligible recipient agencies. In general, the eligible recipient agencies are public or private nonprofit organizations that provide food and nutrition assistance to the needy through the distribution of food for home use or the preparation of meals. 

FBOs/CBOs apply to the responsible State Distributing Agency for each state in which they wish to participate. 
 

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)

CSFP works to improve the health of low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, other new mothers up to one year postpartum, infants, children up to age six, and elderly people at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods. Under CSFP, the USDA purchases food and makes it available to the States and to Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), along with funds for administrative costs. The States and ITOs then store the food and distribute it to public and non-profit private local agencies. 

FBOs/CBOs apply to the responsible State Distributing Agency for each state in which they wish to participate. 

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