Finding reliable access to healthy food can be challenging for many families. This page brings together helpful resources from trusted national and local organizations to support families in meeting their food needs. You’ll also find educational materials on what works and terminology surrounding food access and nutrition, offering practical information and guidance to support.
Resources for Families Experiencing Immediate Food Needs
- Feeding America’s National Database of Free Food and Grocery Programs: This resource allows individuals in need of immediate food access to search for nearby food distribution sites. The website also provides a summary of Federal programs available to help, organized by situation (i.e. help for families with a child or teen, help for families with babies or young kids, help for people with disabilities, etc.)
- Feeding America Find Your Local Food Bank: This tool helps individuals locate food banks in their area by entering a zip code. This resource connects users to nearby organizations providing food assistance, supporting communities in addressing hunger and food insecurity.
Food Insufficiency Resources
- Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap (2024): This study includes estimates of food insecurity amongst children at the local level by using publicly available state and local data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics on factors that research has shown to contribute to food insecurity.
- A summary list of USDA’s Food Assistance Programs, including descriptions of each program and who they serve.
- Connecting Food-Insecure Individuals to Resources: This guide by Health Care Without Harm offers strategies for healthcare facilities to address food insecurity in their communities. This resource provides actionable steps for connecting patients to local food assistance programs, fostering partnerships, and integrating food security initiatives into healthcare systems.
Related Educational Resources
- MCH Evidence Center Food Sufficiency Evidence Accelerator: The What Works Evidence Accelerators provide background information and a summary of effective strategies to advance each of the NPM topic areas, including food sufficiency.
- Innovation Hub: AMCHP Innovation Hub is an online platform that provides maternal and child health (MCH) professionals and advocates with resources and tools to explore, build, and share effective work grounded in evidence that contributes to improving the health and well-being of MCH populations and their communities. It is home to the MCH Innovations Database, a searchable repository of “what’s working” in the maternal and child health field (also known as practice-based evidence) that includes both practices and policies.
- The Association of State Public Health Nutritionist’s Food & Nutrition Security Primer: This primer builds an understanding of the rapidly changing and increasing number of food and nutrition security terms. The resource includes a table with terms and definitions used by national food, nutrition, and health programs and organizations. The Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) is a leading national organization on food and nutrition policy, programs, and services. Their mission is to improve public health by creating and strengthening nutrition policies, systems, environments, and programs for all people through the development of public health nutrition leaders and collective action of members nationwide.
