Chapter 7 › XIII.L–M Supplies and Commodities; Meals

Can we claim emergency supplies we handed out and meals for our workers?

FEMA term

Supplies and commodities; meals

Short answer

Yes. Life-sustaining commodities distributed to the community, and the space to store and distribute them, are eligible. Meals for employees and volunteers doing eligible emergency work are eligible under specific conditions.

What FEMA requires

Commodities: food, water, ice, hygiene items, cots, blankets, tarps, roof sheeting, generators, and food and supplies for pets and service animals; delivery to unsheltered residents where items can’t be bought; mass feeding by governments or nonprofits.
Meals: for workers not on per diem, when required by a qualifying labor policy, when severe conditions force extended hours without time to get food, or when food isn’t available to buy.
Meals must be brought to the work location and bought cost-effectively, such as bulk meals. Restaurant outings and individual meals aren’t eligible.
Purchased supplies and equipment may be subject to disposition rules.

Documentation

Purchase and distribution records, lease agreements for storage space, and meal invoices with the workers served and the condition that justified meals.

Watch out · Govstar practitioner advice

Order bulk meals delivered to the site. Reimbursing receipts from individual restaurant meals is a common disallowance.

Govstar summarizes FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide in plain language and links to the official text. Govstar is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. This is general guidance, not legal advice.