Wegweiser Poverty · Rights & Benefits Deutsch

🥫 Food banks and other benefits in kind

Food banks (Tafeln) and other in-kind support supplement, but do not replace, statutory basic income support. How access works.

food bank (Tafel) benefit in kind food distribution volunteering clothing bank

In brief

Tafeln are non-profit associations run by volunteers. They pass on food that is no longer sold in shops but is still edible to people on a low income in return for a small contribution towards costs. Tafeln are a voluntary supplement from civil society – not a statutory entitlement and no substitute for basic income support. Similar in-kind offers exist as clothing banks, furniture stores or school-bag exchanges, mostly organised by welfare associations or church organisations.

Step by step

  1. Find out the entry requirements of your local TafelMost Tafeln require proof of low income (e.g. notice of decision on basic income support, housing benefit, pension); each local Tafel sets the exact rules itself.
  2. Apply for an ID/eligibility cardAfter checking, many Tafeln issue a customer card with which you receive food on fixed distribution days.
  3. Ask about additional servicesAlso ask about local clothing banks, furniture stores or school-bag exchanges – many Tafeln refer people to further contact points.

Deadlines

Watch out – common mistakes
  • Tafeln are not a nationwide, guaranteed supply: there is no legal right to be admitted, and provision and opening hours differ greatly from place to place.
  • Using a Tafel does not replace applying for basic income support or social assistance – it bridges acute shortages but does not solve the underlying shortfall.
  • Some Tafeln have had to impose temporary admission freezes because of high demand; a phone call before your first visit saves unnecessary trips.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Legal status

Tafeln are associations organised under private law and run predominantly by volunteers, mostly united under the umbrella organisation Tafel Deutschland e.V. They receive no regular funding prescribed by federal law; their work relies on food donations from retailers, donations in kind and volunteer commitment. There is no legal basis for access – each Tafel sets its own admission criteria.

Extent of use (association figures)

According to Tafel Deutschland e.V.'s own figures, around 1.5 million people used the services of more than 970 Tafeln nationwide in 2025; around 30 % of users were children, around 20 % were older than 63. These figures are an association estimate by Tafel Deutschland e.V., not official social statistics, and should be cited with that label.

Placing it in advice work

In professional debate, the growing use of Tafeln is often discussed as an indication of a gap between the statutory standard rate and actual living costs. For individual advice the following applies: using a Tafel does not rule out a simultaneous entitlement to basic income support or social assistance and should not replace it.

Who is responsible
  • Local Tafel associations (private law, not an authority)
  • Welfare associations for clothing banks and furniture stores
Further reading
Social pass and concessionsAdvice and contact points

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Food banks and other benefits in kind“?
Food banks (Tafeln) and other in-kind support supplement, but do not replace, statutory basic income support. How access works.
What should I do first?
  • Find out the entry requirements of your local Tafel: Most Tafeln require proof of low income (e.g. notice of decision on basic income support, housing benefit, pension); each local Tafel sets the exact rules itself.
  • Apply for an ID/eligibility card: After checking, many Tafeln issue a customer card with which you receive food on fixed distribution days.
  • Ask about additional services: Also ask about local clothing banks, furniture stores or school-bag exchanges – many Tafeln refer people to further contact points.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • Tafeln are not a nationwide, guaranteed supply: there is no legal right to be admitted, and provision and opening hours differ greatly from place to place.
  • Using a Tafel does not replace applying for basic income support or social assistance – it bridges acute shortages but does not solve the underlying shortfall.
  • Some Tafeln have had to impose temporary admission freezes because of high demand; a phone call before your first visit saves unnecessary trips.
Evidence
  • Tafel Deutschland e.V., Zahlen & Fakten, as of 2025 (tafel.de) – association figures, not official statistics
As of

As of September 2026. · Sources and method

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.