Commodity Supplemental Food Program

Seniors are amongst the most vulnerable group at risk of hunger. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program exists to help change that.

Healthy food close to home

The Capital Area Food Bank participates in the federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), also known as Grocery Plus in DC and My Groceries to Go! in MD. The program provides seniors across the region with free, nutritious food so they can stay healthy and active. Each month, income-eligible seniors over 60 receive 25 to 30 pounds of healthy groceries that they can use to prepare the nutritious meals they need to live well.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program packages vary from month to month, but always include:

One or two cartons of juice
Two of three packs of a meat protein item (e.g. beef, chicken, salmon, or tuna)
Two cartons of shelf-stable milk
Three items of plant-based protein (e.g. dry beans, canned beans, lentils, or peanut butter)
Two packs of a grain item
One block of cheese
Two or three cans of fruit
Eight cans of vegetables
Two breakfast items

Income Eligibility Guidelines

Maximum Income by Household Size – 150% of the Poverty Line

Household size	Annually	Monthly	Weekly
1	$23,475	$1,957	$452
2	$31,725	$2,644	$611
3	$39,975	$3,332	$769
4	$48,225	$4,019	$928
5	$56,475	$4,707	$1087
6	$64,725	$5,394	$1,245
7	$72,974	$6,082	$1,404
8	$81,225	$6,769	$1,563
Each additional member	+$8,250	+$688	+$159

*For DC and VA residents’ participation in one (or more) of the following programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Low-Income Subsidy Program (LIS) Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare Savings Program (MSP) can be used in lieu of income

How to Apply

Grocery Plus applications must be processed in person at a Grocery Plus distribution site or East Capitol Walk-In Center. To identify the pickup site closest to you, please call the CSFP main line at 202-644-9880. When registering, participants are required to bring in supporting documents to prove age and residency. One or two documents can be used as proof of meeting all requirements. The following documents are accepted:

Proof of Age	Proof of Residency
Driver’s License (valid)	District of Columbia ID (valid)
State ID	Bill with current address (medical, cable, credit card, utility bill)
Birth Certificate	Bank account statement
Passport/Visa	Current paystub
Immigration or Naturalization Record	Current SSI check
Marriage Certificate/Marriage License	Current Vehicle Registration
Military Discharge Papers (DD 14)	Statement of residence, income or identity
Voter Registration Card	Housing Authority ID Card with address
Work ID	Lease Agreement
Military ID	Letter from landlord
	Rental Receipt (within last 30 days)
	Social Security letter with address

The East Capitol Walk-In Center is located at:

5601 East Capitol Street SE *

Washington DC 20019

Phone: 202-644-9880

*Located inside the DC Scholars Public Charter School Building. The entrance is on the corner of 55th Street SE and East Capitol Street SE

*Regular Operating Hours

Monday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Tuesday – Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

*3rd Saturday of the month 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

My Groceries To Go! applications must be processed in person at a My Groceries To Go! distribution site. To identify the pickup site closest to you, please call the CSFP main line at 202-644-9880. When registering, participants in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County are required to bring in supporting documentation to prove age and residency. The following documents are accepted:

Proof of Age	Proof of Residency* *Address must be in Montgomery or Prince George’s County.
Driver’s License (valid)	Maryland ID (valid)
State ID	Bill with current address (medical, cable, credit card, utility bill)
Birth Certificate	Bank account statement
Passport/Visa	Current paystub
Immigration or Naturalization Record	Current SSI check
Marriage Certificate/Marriage License	Current Vehicle Registration
Military Discharge Papers (DD 14)	Statement of residence, income or identity
Voter Registration Card	Housing Authority ID Card with address
Work ID	Lease Agreement or Letter from landlord
Military ID	Rental Receipt (within last 30 days)
	Social Security letter with address

CSFP applications must be processed in person at a CSFP Virginia distribution site. To identify the pickup site closest to you, please call the CSFP main line at 202-644-9880.

The following documents are accepted:

Proof of Age	Proof of Residency
Driver’s License (valid)	Virginia ID (valid)
State ID	Bill with current address (medical, cable, credit card, utility bill)
Birth Certificate	Bank account statement
Passport/Visa	Current paystub
Immigration or Naturalization Record	Current SSI check
Marriage Certificate/Marriage License	Current Vehicle Registration
Military Discharge Papers (DD 14)	Statement of residence, income or identity
Voter Registration Card	Housing Authority ID Card with address
Work ID	Lease Agreement or Letter from landlord
Military ID	Rental Receipt (within last 30 days)
	Social Security letter with address

Once enrolled, no ID is required to pick up your monthly box.

Maintaining participation

Once enrolled, applications are valid for three years. Participants are required to confirm their contact information, income, and desire to continue in the program annually and reapply every three years. Participants that do not regularly pick up their grocery packages for more than two months in a row may be subject to termination. Applicants that do not feel their application was properly reviewed may request an appeal. Likewise, participants that believe they were wrongly terminated may seek out an appeal with us.

Proxies

CSFP participants may designate up to two “proxies” on their application. Proxies are relatives or friends of the participant that are willing and able to pick up the food package on behalf of a participant. They must be pre-registered as a participant’s proxy and present their ID to collect their grocery package.

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

For DC seniors, the Grocery Plus program is combined with the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (Senior FMNP). During the summer months, Grocery Plus participants receive a one-time fund of $50 on a Produce Pass card at their designated Grocery Plus site. Produce Pass cards can be used to purchase fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey with participating farmers at local farmers’ markets from June 1 – November 30. Visit DC Senior FMNP Locations to learn more.

Become a partner

For more information on CSFP in D.C., Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County or if your organization is looking to host the program, call 202-644-9880 or send an email to csfp@capitalareafoodbank.org.

USDA Nondiscrimination 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 which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. 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 by:

mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
fax: (202) 690-7442 or (833) 256-1665;
email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Help us make a bigger impact.

With the help of our partners, volunteers, and donors, we’re able to deliver meals to 10,000 seniors. Help us continue to serve seniors and the rest of the Washington, D.C. region. Every unrestricted dollar you donate allows us to provide 2 meals. Together, we can create effective solutions to hunger.

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