Food distribution and assistance
Reduce food insecurity, get access to school lunch programs, and learn about emergency food assistance
Through the Food Distribution Program, LDAF receives, stores, and distributes commodities for the school lunch program and other donated food programs administered by USDA.
National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public, parochial, nonprofit private schools, and residential childcare institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry provides the USDA food for this program.
Emergency Food Assistance Program
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost.
Summer Food Service Program
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded, state-administered program. SFSP reimburses program operators who serve free healthy meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry provides the USDA Food for this program.
Disaster Response
Ensuring access to nutritious food when emergencies and disasters happen through USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). In the immediate aftermath of a declared disaster, assists by providing USDA Food from non-emergency programs like school meals to disaster relief agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army for congregate feeding sites. These voluntary organizations have the expertise and manpower to provide food to survivors at shelters and mass feeding sites. In addition, with approval from USDA, a household distribution program can be operated when conditions warrant it to provide boxes of nutritious food to hungry families.
Services
Civil rights
The mission is to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies for FNS customers and employees regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs.) This belief also facilitates equal and timely access to FNS programs and services for all customers.
Our vision is to provide superior customer service while ensuring equity for all.
Non-discrimination statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form .
The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
Phone: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
Email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Complaint process
To file a complaint or inquiry related to Food Distribution, please contact the LDAF Food Distribution Program main office:
Phone: (225) 922-1319
Mail: 5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 4002, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
For complaints or inquiries related to Americans with Disabilities Accommodations, please contact Mack Williams at 225-922-1313 mwilliams@ldaf.state.la.us
Please provide as much information as possible to allow us to better assist you with your issue, including your contact information.
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Related links
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