The short answer
Several sources of emergency food can help within a day. Calling 211 or the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479), open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, connects you to nearby pantries, meal sites and other services. Food pantries that give out groceries follow income rules set by the state, and soup kitchens that serve prepared meals do not test income. If you need ongoing help, apply for SNAP and ask for expedited processing, which can deliver benefits within seven days for households with very little income and cash. Families with children can use school meals and WIC, and adults 60 and older can get meals through their local Area Agency on Aging. Bring what you can, but do not stay home for lack of paperwork, because many places ask for little.
Today: get food in hand
Start with a call. Dial 211 from any phone and tell the operator you need food. The service connects you to pantries, meal programs and other help in your area, and many operators can also help with rent and utilities.
The USDA National Hunger Hotline works the same way for food. The number is 1-866-3-HUNGRY, which is 1-866-348-6479, with Spanish service at 1-877-8-HAMBRE, which is 1-877-842-6273. It is free and open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, and a representative can point you to food banks, meal sites and the SNAP office near you.
If you would rather go in person, a local church, a community center or a food bank near you is usually the fastest route. A pantry gives out groceries to take home. A soup kitchen serves a prepared meal on site. Our guide to what SNAP covers is a useful reference for stretching what you get.
What to expect at a pantry
Pantries differ, so ask when you call. Many ask for a name and a household size, and some ask you to state your income on a form. Take-home food from a pantry that receives food from the USDA's Emergency Food Assistance Program follows income rules the state sets, and those rules often allow you to qualify by taking part in another program, such as SNAP or Medicaid. Prepared meals at a soup kitchen are available without an income test.
Bring identification if you have it, and a bag or box to carry the food home, since many pantries cannot supply them. If you have no documents, say so, since many pantries serve people without paperwork. Some limit visits to once a month, so ask how often you can return and whether another site fills the gaps. It is also fine to ask what information a pantry records before you give it. Tell them about any allergy, baby formula or medical diet, because some sites keep those items separately.
What to say when you call
Have a few facts ready so the call is short: how many people are in your household and their ages, any food allergies or medical diets, whether you have a working stove or refrigerator and how you will get to the site. If you have no kitchen, say so, and ask for ready-to-eat food. Some states also let people who are elderly, have disabilities or are homeless use SNAP at participating restaurants, which is worth asking about once you are approved.
If transportation is the problem, ask whether the site delivers or whether a nearby location is open on a bus route. Some food banks run mobile pantries that visit neighborhoods on a schedule, and the operator can tell you when the next one is nearby. Write down the address, the hours and the name of the person to ask for before you hang up.
This week: apply for ongoing help
A pantry covers days. SNAP covers a month at a time, and the quickest route is to apply now. You can usually apply online, by phone or in person at the SNAP office, and you do not need to have every document in hand to start the application. The agency sets the date you applied as the day it receives the application, so a partial application still protects your start date.
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Source | What it gives | How fast |
|---|---|---|
| Food pantry | A box or bag of groceries | Often the same day |
| Soup kitchen or meal site | A prepared meal | The same day, with no income test |
| Expedited SNAP | Benefits on an EBT card | Within seven days if you qualify |
| Regular SNAP | Benefits on an EBT card | Within about 30 days |
| School meals | Free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch | After the school processes the form |
| WIC | Food for pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children under 5 | Often within a few weeks |
When you apply for SNAP, say you need food right now and ask for expedited processing. A household with very little income and cash, or whose housing costs are larger than its income and savings, can get benefits within seven days. Our guide to expedited SNAP explains who qualifies and what to bring. If you apply and are not eligible for the quick track, the regular decision takes up to 30 days, so keep using pantries while you wait.
If you have children
Children can eat free or at a reduced price at school if the family's income is low, and your child's school will have the form. If your child is under five or you are pregnant or have a new baby, WIC provides food and nutrition help. Our guides to school meals and WIC list who qualifies. Many children's meal programs also operate during the summer, and the hotline can direct you to a site that is open near you.
If you receive cash help from TANF or are on Medicaid, tell the pantry or the WIC clinic, since you may already meet the income test for some programs.
If you are 60 or older
Adults 60 and older can get meals through their local Area Agency on Aging, including meals at a community center and meals delivered to the home for people who cannot get out. To find your agency, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or ask 211. Some agencies also help with applying for SNAP, and our guide to the SNAP application lists what to bring.
Next month: keep the help in place
Emergency food is a bridge. While you are still in the crisis, make a short list of the other things that could break next: rent, a utility bill, a medical cost. Call 211 about those too. Our guide to utility shutoff protections and our guide to help with energy bills cover two of them, and if a job loss is the cause, see our job loss checklist.
A typical sequence for a household that is nearly out of food on a Monday and is not paid until the following Friday starts with a call to 211, which names a pantry open that afternoon. The next day a call to the hotline points to the SNAP office, where an online application with a request for expedited processing can bring benefits within seven days, and a second pantry visit covers the days in between.
Questions about emergency food
Do I have to prove my income at a pantry?
It depends on the pantry. Take-home food from pantries that get USDA food follows income rules set by the state, and some sites simply ask you to sign a form. Prepared meals at soup kitchens have no income test.
Does using a pantry affect my SNAP or other benefits?
No. Free groceries from a pantry are not counted as income for SNAP, and using one does not reduce your benefit.
Can I visit more than one pantry?
Usually yes. Some pantries limit visits to once a month, and a few ask whether you have used another site recently, but using two or three locations is common. Ask each one about its rules.
Can I use the hotline if I do not speak English well?
Yes. The National Hunger Hotline serves callers in English and Spanish, and 211 can arrange interpreter help in many areas.
What varies
Hours, rules and supplies vary by pantry and by state, and the agencies that run SNAP and WIC decide each application. Call ahead when you can, since pantries sometimes change hours or run out of food.
Official sources
Make the call
Call 211 or 1-866-3-HUNGRY, ask for the nearest open pantry, and when the immediate need is covered, apply for SNAP and say you need expedited help. If you are not sure you qualify, our SNAP calculator gives an estimate in a minute.
