Philabundance: How to Get Food

Philabundance says on its own FAQ page: 'Philabundance programs serve the community on a self-declared basis, meaning there are no requirements to access food. You may, however, be asked to provide an ID when receiving food.' So you do not have to prove your income - saying you need help is enough - but bring photo ID if you have one. Immigration status is not mentioned anywhere on the pages read. One exception: the CSFP senior box programme requires you to be at least 60 and at or below 130% of the poverty line. Each partner pantry may still set its own rules, so ask when you call.

Philabundance is a regional food bank: it supplies partner pantries, cupboards and meal programmes rather than handing out food itself. Go to philabundance.org/find-food/ and use the locator: enter your location, pick a search radius (3, 5, 10, 25 or 50 miles) and, if you want, filter by category - Pantry, Food Cupboard, Emergency Kitchen, Emergency Kitchen (Meals Only), Same-Day Food Distribution or Same-Day Produce Distribution. The locator gives you the site, its address and its hours. If you cannot use the locator, call (215) 339-0900.

Days and hours are set by each partner site, not by Philabundance. They are shown next to each result in the locator at philabundance.org/find-food/. Check there or call the site before travelling.

Free. Philabundance says it does not charge its partners for the food it distributes and that all donated food and food bought with donations goes to partners at no cost. It does note that partners may be asked for a shared maintenance fee of up to 19c per pound; that is between the food bank and the pantry, not something you are asked to pay.

Photo ID if you have one - the FAQ says you may be asked for ID when receiving food. Bags or boxes are always useful. Nothing else is required on the pages read.

Nine counties across Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, through more than 300 community partners. The individual counties are not listed on the pages read. Warehouse address: 3616 South Galloway Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148 (offices and distribution centre, not a public pantry).

Visit limits are set by each partner pantry and are not published centrally. The senior box (CSFP) has an age and income test. There is also a Philabundance Community Kitchen 16-week culinary training programme for adults who qualify for public benefits.

A pantry covers today. SNAP covers the month, and in Pennsylvania the application is the state's own. SNAP in Pennsylvania →