CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program) — monthly food box for seniors

What this actually is

A monthly box of USDA foods for low-income people aged 60 and over. Free, not repaid, and it does not count against SNAP — you can and should have both. The misunderstanding: seniors assume this is the same thing as a food pantry visit, and skip it because they went to a pantry once. It is a separate, reliable, scheduled monthly package. The real limit is supply, not your worthiness: USDA hands each participating state and Tribal organization a set amount of food and administrative money, so this is NOT an open-ended entitlement and local slots can be full with a waiting list. Get on the list anyway — lists move.

Who qualifies, and what trips people up

At least 60 years old, with household income under the CSFP income guideline (published annually by USDA — check the current year's figure at the source page, it is higher than the SNAP gross limit). Not every state or Tribal area operates CSFP, and within a participating state not every county has a distribution site. Apply through the local agency that distributes in your area — often the same food bank that runs TEFAP — not through USDA. Because caseload slots are capped, ask to be placed on the waiting list on the day you first call rather than waiting until a slot is free.