Human Services

• Cherokee Nation Home >
• All Services >
• Human Services >
• Family Assistance >
• Food Distribution Program

Food Distribution Program

The Cherokee Nation Food Distribution Program has been dedicated to distributing nutritious foods to eligible Native American Families residing within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation and within the USDA Food Nutrition Services approved Service Areas since 1983. The Cherokee Nation Food Distribution Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition (USDA) and the Cherokee Nation. USDA-Food and Nutrition Services has developed a well-balanced food package for each participating household member. The amount of food a household receives is determined by the number of eligible household members approved. Services are provided through seven Food Distribution Stores. The Food Distribution Stores operate in a grocery store environment that allows participants to shop in a comfortable and familiar setting.

General contact: 1-800-865-4462

Eligibility Requirements

• At least one household member must prove citizenship in a federally recognized tribe.
• The household must reside within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation and within the FNS Service Areas.
• Household income cannot exceed income eligibility standards developed by USDA-FNS.
• Households cannot dually participate in the Food Distribution Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly the Food Stamp Program in the same month.
• Households cannot participate in more than one Food Distribution Program in the same month.

Documents Needed

• Proof of Tribal membership:
  • An official card, letter, or other documentation issued by an Indian Tribe which indicates that the individual is a tribal member.
  • An official Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood or Certificate of Degree of Alaskan Blood (both abbreviated CDIB) card.
  • An official document (letter, memorandum, form, etc.) from a Bureau of Indian Affairs office or a Tribe/Nation which states the individual named in the document is the direct descendant (son, daughter, grandchild, etc.) of a federal-recognized member.
• Residential Verification: A current utility bill, phone bill, or rent receipt with applicants name and residential address. Please note a mailing address with a P.O. Box will require a physical address as well as it does not verify your physical address.
• Verification of income: A full month’s income must be verified for all household members over the age of 18. Copies of pension, government checks, pay stubs, or employer’s statement of GROSS earnings. Household members 18 years and older with no income must provide unemployment verification. Self-employed individuals must submit their most recent tax forms.
• Verification of Identity: All household members must provide acceptable verification of identity, such documentation as a driver’s license, work or school I.D., voter registration card, birth certificate, I.D. for health benefits or other programs or other social services.

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), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, 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 agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, 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:

Mail:
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
Alexandria, VA 22314; or

Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

Email:
FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.